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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28557414">Doctor's Order</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danganphobia/pseuds/Danganphobia'>Danganphobia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Room 102 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hunter X Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Teachers, Angst, Comedy, Doctor Leorio Paladiknight, Drama &amp; Romance, Epic Friendship, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Found Family, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Getting Together, Hijinks &amp; Shenanigans, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kidfic, Kindergarten Teacher Kurapika, Love Confessions, M/M, Meet-Cute, Multi, Mutual Pining, Parental Leorio Paladiknight, Resolved Romantic Tension, Romantic Comedy, Sexual Content, Sexual Humor, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Trans Kurapika, and epic dance competitions, and maybe others - Freeform, expect a lot of casual sex and pretending it never happened (yeah i know), ging doesn't exist here its just leorio and how it should be, gratuitous school anime-esque arcs, i lied i have plans of ging existing sometimes. but not all the time., meddling kids being meddling kids, phantom troupe are mostly teachers basically and so are the bodyguards, schrodinger's ging, shit GOES DOWN at yorknew elementary/middle school, side killugon and pakumachi, so much messy messy drama, specifically trauma surgeon leorio, sports festivals!!!, stan bill and oito and pairo they be on top of all these bitches' bullshit, working in healthcare is tiring but trust me leorio is down bad, zepile has a habit of stealing unusual vehicles get used to it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:48:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>248,462</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28557414</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danganphobia/pseuds/Danganphobia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Among all the gossip that spurs about Yorknew's joint elementary and junior high school, Kurapika finds himself interested in one in particular: a mysterious handsome man who has come to enroll his child.</p><p>His name? Gon Paladiknight.</p><p>As for everything else about the young man, it's up to speculation. In fact, Kurapika's curiosity might get the best of him as he engages in a betting pool amongst his co-workers on the stranger's occupation, and tries to uncover more of his identity now that his son is in his class. Killua's finally made a new friend. The children are a disaster, and the teachers of Yorknew go through trials and tribulations.</p><p>This could get ugly.</p><p>(or, the loosely Gokusen-inspired AU where the cast are mainly teachers. Kurapika is in charge of a class of rowdy kindergarteners coming from various different backgrounds, and he develops a strong bond with this particular class and realizes the true meaning of teaching in the course of a school year while he discovers personal revelations of his own.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Room 102 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191896</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>243</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>260</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. you give me ventricular contractions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Kurapika meets Leorio and Gon for the first time.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I said I'd be back with more hxh content. Thus, my evil little brain said: make a whole new multichapter au fic.</p><p>A few things to address here:</p><p>-Phantom troupe/bodyguards being teachers of different grades/or staff members<br/>-Kurapika uses he/they pronouns sometimes interchangeably<br/>-AU where Gon is Leorio's biological son instead<br/>-Killua, Gon, Zushi, and co. are like, toddler-aged, same age ranges<br/>-Leorio's fresh outta fellowship and he's a trauma surgeon!!!<br/>-I spent several days doing proper research to the best of my abilities but mostly I'm just having fun with this silly little idea skdjfkflskm so I ain't making shit that deep</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started with a rumor.</p><p>Normally Kurapika wasn’t one to listen into the hot gossip his colleagues liked to spread. He mostly frequented times in the lounge with Melody and Pairo and he minded his own business when needed be.</p><p>Recess during lunch hours was the time they were allowed the grace of a break and suddenly Kurapika’s hearing about the next latest scandal. These <em>also </em>involved the students. Yorknew elementary and middle school were joint, creating a divide between the ages of four to fourteen. Hot gossip ranged from a student pulling the fire alarm to staff members getting caught making out in the janitor’s closet.</p><p>They’d always be so surprised when Kurapika was baffled by the situation when he expressed nothing but discern over everything that they talked about.</p><p>“There’s this guy,” Machi said, picking at her nail, “literally every single Karen of a mom that I know that takes their kid here talks about him.”</p><p>“Who? Mr. Rivera?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“No. He’s been showing up to creepily flirt with the teachers for months.” Pakunoda snapped her fingers, “it’s uh, I think it’s the lawyer?”</p><p>“Doctor!” Shalnark hollered from the corner that he sat in. Kurapika scratched his head.</p><p>“...None of the parents of my kids is currently a doctor.” He said, if he’d known that, he’d recognize who the Hell they’re talking about.</p><p>“Even the dads talk about him, though.” Shalnark said.</p><p>“<em>Every</em> parent.” Machi added.</p><p>It wasn’t long until Melody walked in with Basho, and he was telling her about the poems they’ve shared in his class during their reading time when they asked them if they heard about this mysterious stranger that showed up to the main office yesterday.</p><p>“I saw him walk out when I left to use the bathroom.” Basho replied, “the one with the fancy looking suit, right?”</p><p>“I think he’s a lawyer.” Pakunoda affirmed, “he has to be.”</p><p>“He’s most definitely a doctor.” Shalnark hummed.</p><p>“But lawyers also wear suits.”</p><p>“So do doctors.”</p><p>Melody took her seat next to Kurapika, “my students were a delight today. Tammy finally managed to do a perfect flute solo.”</p><p>Kurapika scoffed, “guess who’s still painting the faces of other children?”</p><p>“Killua still giving you a hard time?”</p><p>“When is he <em>not</em>?”</p><p>“Hey. Hey.” Shalnark piped in “how much you wanna bet the parents start hitting on ‘im once they find out his kid goes to school here?”</p><p>“Hold on a sec,” Pakunoda said, “he’s got a <em>kid</em>?”</p><p>“He’s definitely not a teacher.” Machi added. “Just from the looks of it. You can tell.”</p><p>“We had an influx of new replacements earlier this year already.” Basho flipped open a book to start writing in, “it’d be a bit too late of a welcoming.”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes. Whenever there’s a new staff member added to the team they tended to act as if they were fresh meat.</p><p>Melody said that she’s seen this mysterious doctor, or lawyer, they’re still debating on the man’s occupation since most parents liked to drop their kids off right before work and they came freshly dressed. Not often you’d see someone in a t-shirt unless they were a close relative.</p><p>And so, he decided to ask Pairo about it after their late lunch after their shift was over.</p><p>“Oh!” Pairo said, “I’ve seen him too.”</p><p>“Why is it that everyone’s seen this man but me?”</p><p>“I don’t blame you. We’re teaching most of the day… so, maybe you just missed him.”</p><p>“But it’s all everyone could talk about.”</p><p>Pairo gave them a look, arching a brow. Holding a frappe in his hand from the local Starbucks, Kurapika stared back at him.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You usually don’t care about the stuff everyone talks about. That’s why you’re so out of the loop with everything.”</p><p>“I’m just.” Kurapika shrugged, “curious, is all…”</p><p>“I’m more interested in hearing about who was caught making out in the staff bathroom. Sadly I couldn’t make it to break today, had a meeting.”</p><p>“You know I’m the wrong person to be asking that question.”</p><p>“You have to know at least <em>a little bit </em>of the gossip.”</p><p>Kurapika refused to answer the question at first. Then, he fought into the urge of temptation. He shut his eyes, and said, “No one.”</p><p>“Really?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“No one <em>this week</em>, as far as I know.”</p><p>“Not even Machi and Pakunoda? You <em>know </em>those two have to be one of the regulars.”</p><p>“Ask Shalnark.” Kurapika snorted, “he’s like, the gossip connoisseur.”</p><p>“I’m assuming he’s where you heard about this hot lawyer slash doctor showing up to the school?”</p><p>“Well more like everyone was talking about it.”</p><p>“I think everyone’s itching for some more spice here. It’s been too bland. Last time we had a big scandal was when that one mom from the conference was caught screwing—”</p><p>“—<em>That </em>of which led to Mr. Spinster getting fired.”</p><p>“You know who should really be getting fired?” Pairo asked.</p><p>They both looked at each other and said, “Hisoka.”</p><p>“Creepiest fucking janitor I’ve ever met.” Kurapika blanched.</p><p>“Yeah.” Pairo laughed. “I heard he’s dating a model.”</p><p>“No fucking way.”</p><p>“Ask Shalnark.”</p><p>“There’s the thing about gossip. If I don’t see it, there’s no proof.” Kurapika clarified, “just like this <em>doctor </em>everyone speaks of.”</p><p>“What?” Pairo wiggled his eyebrows, “are you interested?”</p><p>“You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’d ever be.”</p><p>Kurapika separated with Pairo. He wouldn’t lie, something about this particular rumor intrigued him because of how quickly it became the talk among their social circle. They’d start these unreasonable betting pools on how long it’d take before the parents started swooning over them due to the fact that all the white suburban mothers loved to buddy up with each other, and talk shit about other people’s children oh-so subtly while making themselves look cute for the fathers leaving their cars in a hurry to scoop up their kids and leave immediately.</p><p>Kurapika knew a few of them. Some of them took a strong dislike to him simply because he had to inform them of their child’s rowdy behaviors. They believed he should accept the fact that they could be a little bit of a <em>hassle </em>but it didn’t mean that they were being disruptive to the rest of the class. But Kurapika would have to explain that throwing legos at other kids isn’t exactly ethical and that being sent to the nurse’s office for a black eye doesn’t remotely fit the description of a minor inconvenience.</p><p>They just tell Kurapika that he can’t handle it and it’s his fault for being incapable of <em>keeping them in control</em>. He didn’t get this job at the ripe age of twenty-eight (not to boast, but he might be one of the early birds education-wise) and bust his ass for Becky who drives the ugliest Prius Kurapika had ever seen to tell him to his face he couldn’t take care of her five-year old.</p><p>If it weren’t for his employment, and his dedication to his job, Principal Netero, he would’ve thrown hands.</p><p>But he had morals.</p><p>They were steadily slipping day by day, but he still had them. A small remainder of what was left of it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He drove to school early next morning and was given the news that a new student was enrolling to his class as of this year. It’s a little late in the year, probably a few weeks into the beginning and he’s received a new attendance sheet. Their eyes hovered over the name <em>Gon Paladiknight </em>and he frowned.</p><p>This child wasn’t a first grader, second, third, or a middle schooler, at that matter. They’re a kindergartener.</p><p>It wouldn’t be the first time he’s received new students. Setting up the classroom for the kids to pile in was a swift routine. He flicked on the lights, waited for the main doors to open and watched the cars pull up outside.</p><p>Kurapika checked his watch. Once the clock hit eight, Hell began. He passed by the others in the hall and sympathized with the look of dread on their faces.</p><p>“Oh, fuck me.” Machi lamented.</p><p>“My favorite part of the day.” Pakunoda finished the rest of her coffee. Then she heartily poured herself another cup and downed it all within a minute.</p><p>“Hell yeah, let’s do this!” Uvogin stormed out of the lounge, Shalnark followed him with a laugh.</p><p>“You don’t even start your gym class until next period, Uvo.”</p><p>Basho finished his coffee, closing his book and tucking it in his dress shirt. “Dalzonelle’s gonna rip me a new one for being late again. Oh well.”</p><p>Pairo winked at Kurapika. “Good luck today.”</p><p>Kurapika wondered what he meant in particular with that comment. Until he was standing in front of his classroom, watching all the parents pile into the hallway holding the hands of their students after waiting outside for a hot minute.</p><p>They were excited to see him for the most part, and he answered to their happy greetings by flashing a smile and giving them a warm welcome.</p><p>His breath caught in his throat when another man stepped past the threshold to the classroom.</p><p>He’s dressed in a swank, black suit. His long legs step carefully in its stride, his brown dress shoes shined to the utmost perfection. Kurapika’s eyes trailed up his frame to his face, chiseled. Short, dark hair and a layer of scruff to his sideburns and down to his chin, a pair of small, round spectacles perched up his nose.</p><p>Next to him… his hand was holding the boy standing right next to him, probably about three times shorter. A puffy jacket on him and wild, dark hair.</p><p>They made eye contact.</p><p>He nodded at Kurapika and led the younger boy to him. Kurapika had forgotten he’d been speaking regularly with parents for several years now and suddenly he’s forgotten every single rule in the book of proper speaking etiquette.</p><p>“Hi!” The man spoke, “Shit I hope this is the right class. Uh, you’re Mr. <em>Kurta</em>, right?”</p><p>Kurapika nodded slowly, “yes, yes I am.” <em>so this is the infamous alleged hot lawyer slash doctor that his colleagues won’t shut the fuck up about. </em>He looked down at Gon, blinking up at Kurapika with wide eyes. “And you must be Gon?”</p><p>Gon nodded animatedly. Kurapika expected most children to hide behind their parents’ back with tears prickling at their eyes. He’s seen parents drag their kids into the classroom kicking and screaming bloody murder because they didn’t want to step foot into that classroom. He’d have to explain that separation anxiety was a normal thing when kids develop an attachment to their parents since infancy and it’s not uncommon to feel intimidated by a whole new environment.</p><p>Kurapika heard screaming from inside the classroom, and he’d almost forgotten turning his back on them meant they’d start wreaking havoc. “Settle down! What do you do when you’re in the classroom and the teacher steps out?”</p><p>“Sit in your seats!” Was their primary response, still, it was mixed with <em>sitting </em>and <em>being quiet</em>, ceasing their commotion and putting their stuff into their organized cubbies.</p><p>“Mr. Kurta.” The man in front of him asked, wanting to confirm.</p><p>“What?” Kurapika turned back to him, blinking.</p><p>“Your name?”</p><p>
  <em>Ah.</em>
</p><p>Took a split second for Kurapika to register that <em>he himself </em>was who was being referred to, “yes of course.”</p><p>“Oh thank God.” The stranger responded with a chuckle, rasped and <em>utterly delightful</em>, “I thought I’d have to be running around the whole school with Gon. I had to ask someone else for directions. I think he said his name was Pairo.”</p><p>“My colleague.” No wonder why he gave him that conniving little wink earlier when they departed from the break room so they could get on with their hefty schedule. “He teaches the first graders, so it’s most definitely the floor up above us.”</p><p>“Great! Hey, kiddo, we made it!” He looked down at Gon, and they exchanged a high-five. The sight was adorable enough to put a smile on Kurapika’s face.</p><p>“So you must be Mr. Paladiknight?” Kurapika questioned, according to the attendance, that was. However, he didn’t want to make assumptions if either Leorio or Gon preferred to go by anything else. Attendance records were a hassle to get updated when there’s often errors.</p><p>“Or you can just call me Leorio.” Leorio responded. Kurapika stared at him. “That’s. That’s what I go by.” He quickly blurted.</p><p>“I prefer to stick to formalities.” Kurapika chuckled.</p><p>“You sure you’re gonna be alright?” Leorio asked Gon, and he nodded up at his father.</p><p>“Yeah!”</p><p>“We have another enthusiastic one on our hands.” Kurapika quipped.</p><p>“We just moved here for a job relocation, long story short. So I been doing a lot of running around. Got him settled in a little late.” Leorio patted Gon on the head.</p><p>“It wouldn’t be too much trouble to catch him up.”</p><p>“I hope so. My little frog’s a fireball.” Leorio smiled with relief. Kurapika’s heart skipped a beat. Gon especially, was utterly adorable.</p><p>“Nice to meet you Mr. Kurta!” Gon beamed. Manners went a long way with some of these kids, as Kurapika’s used to them rushing right past them into the classroom without as much as a single hello. But it primarily came from the quieter bunch, except for Killua, unbeknownst to them, was curiously looking at the doorway while the other children got themselves settled in.</p><p>“Okay I’m in a hurry.” Leorio checked his watch. Kurapika didn’t mean to stare, (in fact, staring at Leorio’s whole being they’ve been doing long enough) but he could tell that a watch like that wasn’t picked up at some local store at the mall. No wonder he’s the talk of the school.</p><p>“Okay dad!” Gon turned to face Leorio, and they engaged in a… very <em>peculiar </em>handshake. Involving multiple steps of which they bumped fists, hips, snapped their fingers, shuffled around for a bit and it made Kurapika chuckle. He noticed his students were still chattering among themselves, some removing their things, but they weren’t causing a ruckus. The rule was if Kurapika had to warn them three times in a day then their Friday night game day would be revoked that week and instead they’d have to work on their grammar lessons. Which they absolutely despised, but each class he’s taught every year has earned three strikes <em>at least </em>once.</p><p>Leorio didn’t seem very keen with the idea of letting Gon leave. Even if Kurapika stepped back, closer to the open doorway so Gon could pass through.</p><p>Gon lifted his backpack and adjusted it, approaching the door. Then he turned around and saw Leorio was still standing there.</p><p>“Later little frog.”</p><p>“See ya!”</p><p>“You got your lunch with you?”</p><p>Gon nodded.</p><p>“Hand sanitizer?”</p><p>Check.</p><p>“Pencils?”</p><p>Check.</p><p>“Markers and crayons—”</p><p>“—ugh, <em>daaaaaad</em>.” Gon complained, “I told you I have everything already!”</p><p>“Okay bigshot, always on top of your game.” Leorio laughed bashfully, scratching the back of his head. “I just wanna make sure my little guy didn’t forget anything. You know how I’ve had to come in late more times than I can count because you’ve forgotten something.”</p><p>“Go now, or you’ll be late!” Gon chastised, in the best way a boy his age could do so. “I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“Promise?”</p><p>“I promise.”</p><p>“Come on, now.” Kurapika led Gon into the classroom, “he’s right.” he told Leorio. “You should get going, Mr. Paladiknight.”</p><p>“Y-Yeah…” Leorio sighed. Gon waltzed into the classroom, frog backpack bouncing in each step. Kurapika noticed the way the man’s eyes lingered on his son until he was no longer in view. “Well. I’ve gotta go. Um. He’s a bit of a feisty little firecracker. Keep ‘im in check for me, yeah? ...Mr…”</p><p>“<em>Kurapika</em>.” Kurapika blurted out. His lip quirked up in a coy smile, “Or, Mr. Kurta works fine. Whatever you see best fit.”</p><p>Leorio smiled back, and he nodded. “So a couple friends of mine might show up after school to pick him up for daycare. We swap every now and then. You’ll know who they are when you see them.” Kurapika nodded, processing this information as quickly as he could, “Make sure he eats his green beans because he tends to hide them in his pockets and throw them out. Carrots, too. Well, any vegetable. Tree nuts are his worst enemy. It’s called allergies.” He joked, his laugh harried, “he’s a picky eater but he prefers to eat anything else but what I make for him.”</p><p>“If you’ve handled payment for school lunch there’s a variety of options.”</p><p>“I’ll keep note of that. Best to inform the nurse about that as well.” Leorio answered. “Doctor’s order.” he added. “Oh. He’s got to keep his hands sanitized.”</p><p>“We have one on my desk and by the door.” Kurapika informed him.</p><p>“Well <em>perfect</em>.” They both laughed, “He tends to touch things that aren’t clean a lot and forget to sanitize.” Leorio explained.</p><p>“A trait he already shares in common with all the other kids.” Kurapika affirmed.</p><p>“God, tell me about it.”</p><p>“They love their crafting time and tend to touch things despite another kid sneezing into their hands and grabbing a pair of scissors. And we also have to sanitize the sandbox. Which is why we keep wipes at all times.”</p><p>“Good to know.”</p><p>“I hope you aren’t certainly doubting my abilities, Mr. Paladiknight.”</p><p>“If anything I’m putting a whole ton of faith in you.” Leorio smiled, lopsided, charming, and <em>gorgeous</em>. “I promise. Call me crazy for it.”</p><p>“I…” Kurapika ripped his gaze away from gaze, sharp, dark, and ebony. “I have to go now. Have a good day.”</p><p>Leorio practically ran down the hall after a curt nod. Kurapika presumed that he was on a time constraint and yet he wasted in ensuring that Gon was inside the right classroom. Poor thing must’ve been asking around for their classroom and once the school day started everyone’s in a rush.</p><p>“We have a new student today.” Kurapika announced once he had gotten situated.</p><p>“I’m Gon!” He didn’t have to introduce the boy when he was already eager to make his presence known. All the kids working on their drawings. “I like fishing, playing, making new friends, learning, and I have a pet frog!”</p><p>All the kids gasped as if there was a revelation. Even Kurapika’s eyes widened slightly in interest. He’s had students who've had pets of their own, but they were the usual and not something that was uncommon.</p><p>“What’s the name?” Surprisingly it was Killua who asked the question, still, showing some sort of disinterest while he sat at his table.</p><p>“Nog.” Gon replied.</p><p>“...Isn’t that just your name backwards?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“That’s pretty weird.”</p><p>“I like it.” Canary, one of the kids that sat at his table responded. Killua raised his arms above his head, blinking with piqued interest.</p><p>“We could appreciate being a little more nicer to Gon.” Kurapika placed their hands on his shoulders, shooting a peeved glance at Killua. “It <em>is </em>his first day.”</p><p>“That’s really cool!” Zushi beamed, “when’d you get it?”</p><p>“How does it look like?!”</p><p>“Where’d you get those things on your bag?”</p><p>“My dad got it for me!” Gon somehow took his time to answer each question, at least, the ones he could catch. Their new student was immediately bombarded with questions and comments. Kurapika had to tell them to settle down. This was the most excited he’s seen them since show and tell Friday’s, and they had their rowdy moments on frequent occasions. Gon’s not overwhelmed by any of the attention, in fact, he’s revelling in it.</p><p>“You can sit at the blue table.” Kurapika pointed toward Killua’s table, each table assorted with different colors to represent teams when they have their Fun Friday events. They were stationed right next to Ponzu and Pokkle’s table, which was yellow. “Killua, Canary, and Zushi.” Their names were taped to name tags and the names of each child were written on it. For the sake of less hassle, Kurapika already prepared himself for the arrival of their new student once he got word from it from the faculty.</p><p>They were just a tad bit <em>too </em>excited that they had a new fellow student joining them for the year, so Kurapika struggled to retain their focus when he resumed lessons for the day. If anything, Gon’s practically the center of attention. He didn’t understand why Leorio was worried about Gon in the first place.</p><p>He dropped them off at lunch, relieved to sit down and stab at his salad knowing they’d be taken for a short period of recess afterward.</p><p>He heard a knock on the side of his door.</p><p>Kurapika flipped the bird.</p><p>“Now that’s not a way to treat your favorite co-worker.”</p><p>“I never said you were.”</p><p>Pairo laughed, “yeah I know I’m an extremely close second to Melody.”</p><p>Kurapika allowed the grace of a small smile. “I’m having my lunch.”</p><p>“I get you like to weirdly brood in silence when we’re too annoying for you.” Pairo skirted over to Kurapika’s desk and hopped on top of it. “So?”</p><p>Kurapika continued eating his salad, blinking up at Pairo. “Yes.” he said suavely.</p><p>“How’s it going?”</p><p>“If you’re coming in here for what I think it is, please leave.” Kurapika pointed his plastic fork toward the door.</p><p>“Pika.”</p><p>“Pairo.” Kurapika said sweetly. Pairo sighed. Kurapika ate another bite of his salad.</p><p>“He was hot, wasn’t he?” It was almost like it wasn’t even a question. But a knowing statement, that of which, caused Kurapika to choke on his salad and quickly grab his drink and sip from his straw like it’d be the very last thing he’d drink in his life.</p><p>“I have to clean up.” Kurapika stood up abruptly. They tore the place down working on their paintings that he dreaded needing to scrub it down. But somebody had to.</p><p>“I know that look.” Unfortunately knowing Pairo, practically brother and best friend for several years, meant he knew how to deal with Kurapika’s bullshit.</p><p>“The stress of making sure five year olds don’t shit themselves while playing at their stations?” Kurapika asked, “because that’s a look you and I both know very well.” he pushed in the chairs, and picked up the stray pieces of construction paper thrown on the floor.</p><p>“Oh, did it happen again?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“Poe’s always making <em>accidents </em>that it’s pretty much habitual at this point.” The moment all the kids scattered away from the playhouse, sobbing, and frantically pointing at Poe, Kurapika already had the boy’s mother on speed dial as he unfortunately had to take him to the main office. His mother’s already put the things needed in his backpack completely prepared for this situation.</p><p>“Maybe we need to rearrange bathroom time schedules.” Pairo suggested.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter when.” Kurapika put away a pair of… slimy scissors. He examined it fairly and was positive it was boogers after someone sneezed on their hand. He grabbed the clorox wipes on his desk and set it down on the desk, yanking one out and wiping the scissor down clean before he placed it back inside its right place. “They always need to go every second of the day.”</p><p>“So he wasn’t… a little bit hot?”</p><p>Kurapika stepped back in a puddle. He froze. It was <em>wet</em> and he was extremely cautious that it wasn’t piss or anything, and he turned around and realized it was just the wet paint knocked over from its cup he’s completely missed. He told them to line up in a hurry because they spent five minutes past their lunch time working on their paintings. He was relieved, glaring back at Pairo on his way to the sink to find a washcloth.</p><p>It’s not here. He might’ve misplaced it. Or one of the students took it.</p><p>“What was he wearing? Another suit?”</p><p>“The teacher’s lounge would accommodate your presence greatly, I think.” Kurapika said. “So please do fuck off.”</p><p>“One thing I love about you!” Pairo exclaimed brightly, “is that you answer my questions without answering them at all! Your responses tell me enough.”</p><p>“The part where I banished you from my classroom?”</p><p>“Join the betting pool.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“C’mon, Pika! Please join it this time.” Pairo followed him as he looked around for the stupid washcloth.</p><p>“Where did I put it last time?” He asked himself irritably. He looked at one of the tables toward the back of the room, noticing something was used to wipe down paint left on the table. Kurapika sighed, finding exactly what he was looking for.</p><p>“You could benefit a lot from this.”</p><p>“How exactly would I benefit from stupid betting pools which consist of the next child Hisoka leers at in the hallway when we already know he tends to pick favorites?”</p><p>“Might be a new one this year, who knows? Remember the time we found out he was dating the model we saw for like, two seconds in the car when they drove by at the parking lot? We lost our shit over that for weeks.”</p><p>He wondered if Melody was teaching her class right now and if he could drop by. She should be done around now. The older kids had their lunch times separate from the smaller children.</p><p>“None of them consist of anything surprising. At least, not that.” Kurapika said begrudgingly.</p><p>“What about anytime you and Chrollo clash during school events?”</p><p>Kurapika turned around. “You didn’t fucking bet on that.”</p><p>“Hat day? Tie-die day? <em>Color wars</em>?”</p><p>Kurapika scoffed, “and what of it?”</p><p>“You can be competitive.”</p><p>“Just a little.”</p><p>“You were talking to your kids like you were leading them to war.”</p><p>“It’s encouraging talk.” Kurapika weakly defended.</p><p>“They were making sculptures out of playdough.” Pairo clarified. “To present to the art fair.”</p><p>“And we almost scored victory if it weren’t for the fact that Zushi accidentally swallowed a piece of playdough.” And proceeded to give Mr. Wing a heart-attack.</p><p>“Though Canary’s was pretty breathtaking.”</p><p>“She’s a star-student.” Kurapika had almost forgotten what Pairo told him prior, “I still can’t believe you’ve included me in your little bets without me knowing!” he vexed.</p><p>Pairo laughed, “it wasn’t that big a deal.”</p><p>“Did you win?”</p><p>“Maybe…?”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes. Then he thought about it. “I mean. I have to see what’s going on. Since I clearly can’t trust any of you.”</p><p>“We’ve made bets on everyone here. Even me.” Pairo consoled, “we just do it for fun and it’s not really all about the money though Machi might’ve said she’d put a hundred bucks on the table.”</p><p>Kurapika scrubbed down the table, pausing as he looked at his co-worker. “A hundred, you say?”</p><p>“Usually the most is like twenty bucks.” Pairo explained, “average? Five, ten? Gives us enough to buy a coffee, a lesson planner… but this…” he smirked mischievously at Kurapika. “This is different.”</p><p>Kurapika walked up to Pairo. “I have to pick up my students in ten minutes and need to get this place in shape.” he threw the wet washcloth over his shoulder. “Excuse me while I get this paint, boogers, and God knows what off me.”</p><p>“Come to Knuckle’s place.”</p><p>“I very much cannot understand how you balance hangovers and lesson planning.” Kurapika would know. He gave into temptation and indulged with a drink or two for the next parent he’d have to talk to about their child’s behavior.</p><p>“Drinking responsibility and planning our time wisely.” Pairo said, turning around and leaving toward the door.</p><p>Kurapika washed out the washcloth and wrung it out, aggravated. Making bets on him for being <em>competitive. </em>He only did it within reason. He wanted to crush Chrollo at what he did best, was all. He smacked the washcloth on the counter top.</p><p>He checked his watch.</p><p>It should be time to start heading outside to the playground.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika had a shred of hope that he’d see Leorio again during dismissal time. But he noticed as Gon was happily speaking with Killua, who admittedly had been much more talkative than he had been the whole day since Gon arrived, more than Canary— and the two were well-acquainted despite the other meeting Gon just today— he waved toward a woman with light, ginger hair who walked up to the front entrance.</p><p>“That’s my aunt Mito!” Gon told Kurapika. He turned to Killua, “hey, you wanna come over to my house?”</p><p>Canary’s eyes blinked wide. “We wouldn’t be intruding?”</p><p>“I mean.” Killua yawned, “I don’t really feel like going home anyways. Tsubone and Gotoh understand.”</p><p>“O-Okay…”</p><p>“So can you come?” Gon asked, eager.</p><p>“Yeah, whatever.”</p><p>The other kids were slowly being led away by their parents, Kurapika busy bidding them goodbye. Zushi mentioned that Mr. Wing wanted to teach him karate lessons after school so he didn’t have time to hang out with them. Said person waiting by his car at the curb.</p><p>“Nice meeting you Gon.” Zushi bowed his head, “Osu!”</p><p>Gon mirrored the action, Killua had his hands shoved in his pockets. Blinking slowly. Gon grabbed Killua’s hand, and he turned back to Kurapika.</p><p>“Bye Mr. Kurta!”</p><p>“I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, Gon. I’m glad you enjoyed your first day today.”</p><p>Gon, Killua, and Canary practically bounced down the steps. Kurapika reminded them to be careful because he’s seen countless children hurt themselves thinking they could do tricks like the older kids sliding down the bannisters and pretending they were monkey bars.</p><p> </p><p>They weren’t planning to go to Knuckle’s right away, so Kurapika had time to get ready once he got home.</p><p>It wasn’t until he looked at himself in the mirror and fixed his shirt collar that he silently cursed Pairo for somehow getting under his skin.</p><p>Knuckle’s earned a name for himself opening a hot spot downtown of Yorknew. A pool table Kurapika learned they liked to frequent and talk a bunch of shit unsupervised this time, throw darts, and drink hard liquor while football matches played on the hanging, flat screen television.</p><p>“How many fucking guardians does that kid have?” Machi asked, “y’know, the Zoldyck one you got in your class?”</p><p>“Which one?” Pakunoda snorted, “I think there’s like four, two in first and one in third or something.”</p><p>“I teach one.” Melody said. She never drank. Just settled with water while the rest of them drank Henny bare like there’s no tomorrow. “They’re a third grader. They’re actually splendid at their flute playing.”</p><p>“Um, fuck. There’s like five Zoldycks that go to this school?” Machi asked aloud the pulsating music.</p><p>“Three actually!” Shalnark replied.</p><p>“Alluka, Nanika, Kalluto…” Shizuku tapped her chin, “and Killua included.”</p><p>“So it’s four.” Pakunoda said, sipping her margarita.</p><p>“I think we should get to why we’re really here.” Pairo said.</p><p>“Wait, wait.” Machi set down her drink, “not until I kick all of your asses at pool first. Pika,” she snapped her fingers at Kurapika, nursing a glass of mildly alcoholic champagne and chastising himself to not go any further. “I wanna go against you first ‘cause you barely fucking come here.”</p><p>His co-workers egged him on and Kurapika finished his drink, giving in. “Just one game.” they whooped in excitement. He scoffed, joining Machi at the pool table.</p><p>“Put her in her place!” Uvogin’s voice had no problem pitching over the volume of the bar with an arm slung over Shalnark’s shoulder.</p><p>Machi flipped him off, “I’ll beat you again anytime, Uvo.” she said without sparing him a single glance.</p><p>Kurapika was a little rubbish, he’d admit. But a single round managed to get him back into gear.</p><p>“C’mon, Pika! Show that feisty side!” Pairo encouraged. Kurapika wasn’t going to take this seriously, until Machi was leading. He realized that he’s being a little too lenient. Machi smirked at him when he started to put his focus into the next round, quickly gaining the upper hand in pocketing the remaining balls left. He’d been coaxed into taking a shot for every score, however, he settled with water in-between.</p><p>Machi still took the lead in the end, resulting in her holding the pool champion title. They said Pakunoda’s letting her keep it for a while before she felt like stealing it from her, but she’s only being modest.</p><p>“So,” Kurapika admitted that he settled into the night for more than gossip and playing instead, but he already promised that he’d join their betting pool if he lost. “You want to know what I think?”</p><p>They were interested in Kurapika’s guess. “What if he worked in corporate?”</p><p>“Like, a CEO, or just some salaryman?” Machi asked.</p><p>“Any position.”</p><p>“He does drive a mercedes.” Pairo claimed.</p><p>“...A gigolo.” Pakunoda said, and they looked at her as she drank from her glass, her eyebrows raised. It did coax them to think about it. “He’s got the looks.”</p><p>“We need to think more deeper than corporate. Tech? The nerdy type?” Shalnark asked. “There’s a hundred Jenny on this!”</p><p>“You can just ask.” Shizuku said blandly.</p><p>“That ruins it!” Shalnark whined.</p><p>“Rules were we find out without him telling us.” Uvogin downed all his beer in one go, “question is how the fuck are we gonna do that?”</p><p>“Since our good friend Pika has Gon as his lovely student,” Pairo explained, “once he finds out, that is, without being obvious about it, we come together to discuss if we’re right.”</p><p>“I’m not getting personally involved in another parent’s life.” Kurapika frowned. “Gon is my student and that’s all there is to it.”</p><p>“You’re in this bet.” Machi winked, “so you better get to sweet talkin’.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Mito actually dropped Gon off to school this morning. Kurapika tried not to let it deter him. The lounge was taking this bet seriously and using whatever clues they could find— but Kurapika was actually less interested in being too involved in this pointless scheme.</p><p>Of all the parents they could meddle with, which have been many, it had to be Leorio. He should’ve expected nothing else. Gon’s a joy to have in class and the kids warmed up to him immediately. Especially Killua. While he had a subtle way of showing it, Kurapika made a good choice pairing them up to sit at the same table together. Gon wasn’t a peacemaker of any sorts, however, it turned out he’s just as rowdy as the other kids when it came to play time.</p><p>It’s dismissal time before Kurapika realized it, getting sucked into the motions of the school day when a black Mercedes pulled up he didn’t recognize.</p><p>Leorio left the car, clad in a different formal attire, a tight, white-dress shirt and a pair of slacks, the cleanest brown shoes, a silver watch to match the tonal colors of his appearance.</p><p>Killua and Gon are playing some kind of roleplaying thing at the front entrance while all the dismissed kids pour out of the building. Gon stopped when he saw Leorio.</p><p>“Dad!” his eyes sparkled brighter than the sun, leaving Killua and rushing for his father. Leorio was barely a foot away from his car when his son leapt on him in a tight hug, the joy in Leorio’s face Kurapika saw from afar.</p><p>Killua mentioned he had to wait for his siblings, so him and Canary had to be taken to the auditorium. Kurapika took them back, making sure Gon had time to say goodbye, knowing how that routine went given they had a different dismissal time.</p><p>When Kurapika came back outside the door he didn’t expect to bump right into someone.</p><p>A wave of fresh cologne hit him and it almost made him feel lightheaded. Cinnamon?</p><p>“Oh, shit. I’m sorry. Fuck. I mean.” Leorio clicked his tongue and Kurapika looked up, noticing Leorio’s glasses were askew.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Kurapika said, “I’m clearly the blind one here.”</p><p>“No, I had no idea you were coming back out.”</p><p>“I need to drop the after-school kids or anyone waiting to be picked up back in the auditorium because they aren’t allowed to roam outdoors without supervision.”</p><p>“I see.” Leorio quickly fixed his spectacles.</p><p>“Were you…” Kurapika caught a glimpse of the Omega SA on his right wrist, just as he put his hand down, “were you looking for something? Do you need a Visitor’s Pass?”</p><p>“No I just…” Leorio laughed, “I wanted to tell you, thanks, actually.”</p><p>“Me?”</p><p>“You’re a damn lifesaver. Gon left daycare yesterday telling me how much fun he had at school with you.”</p><p>“He was the center of attention.” Kurapika said, “you should’ve seen him.”</p><p>“I know, he manages to be the spotlight wherever he goes. It’s like taking a small piece of the sun around with you.”</p><p>“He’s quite popular.”</p><p>“Thatta boy. I’m on night shift, luckily, so I’ve got spare time to see him for just a bit.”</p><p><em>A manufacturer? </em>Kurapika pondered, perhaps he made watches. Shoes. Tailored suits. An owner of some kind of material business.</p><p>“We just moved, so I was really worried about how he’s gonna handle adjusting.” Leorio was talking still, and Kurapika traced up his sharp jawline, like it was getting scruffier by the day and up to the slant of his nose and his eyes.</p><p>“That’s understandable. I didn’t think he’d adapt so quickly either.”</p><p>“Can’t really own up to my title as a dad if I ain’t looking out for him like I should be. And that’s hard as it is.”</p><p>“He has friends.” Kurapika said, “he’s… a handful at times, I’d admit that.”</p><p>“Oh no, he’s gotten comfortable.”</p><p>Kurapika laughed.</p><p>“Seriously he’s such a little fireball and I find out he’s giving you a hard time, ain’t he?”</p><p>“Not in the way that you think. I have a dozen other kids to keep on a leash.”</p><p>They shared a small smile.</p><p>“Dad!”</p><p>Their moment was broken by Gon standing in the doorway. “Can we get ice cream on the way back?”</p><p>“Oh.” Kurapika and Leorio looked away from each other, their attention returning to Gon. “Yeah, sure thing little dude.” he turned back at Kurapika, “I hope to see another pretty face when I come around soon, I’ll be seeing you.”</p><p>Stunned, Kurapika nodded slowly. “Get home safe, Mr. Paladiknight.” he waved at Gon, more than delighted to say goodbye to Kurapika again.</p><p>“Bye Mr. Kurta!”</p><p>“Goodbye, Gon.”</p><p>He immediately took Leorio’s hand, the two of them leaving the front doors. Kurapika saw them out, and Gon turned back to wave again. Some of these children were absolute gremlins, but some were angels, and Gon was one of them. Maybe a bit of both, but he had his moments of tenderness. No wonder why the kids were so fond of him.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t realize on his way back into the building that his cheeks felt warm from Leorio’s comment earlier.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>next chapter: well we'll find out</p><p>my twitter and curious cat</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b> // <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I hope I become your emergency contact one day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the bet commences, Leorio becomes one of the top donors of the school, Kurapika proceeds to keep a professional relationship with Leorio until something strange arises with Gon.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>lol so <em>hi</em> i was NOT expecting the reactions that i received on the first chapter. so i spent quite a bit on the second chapter!!!</p><p>i commissioned @ddearhunters from twitter/ig to draw smth cute as like a promo art for this fic!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>The perks of being on-call was that Leorio had a reason to keep himself busy the whole day. Part of the reason why he adored this job was because he got to be <em>on his feet</em>.</p><p>He wasn’t sitting around prescribing medications, but rather making sure that someone who had their leg cut clean off didn’t bleed to death and had the best care possible.</p><p>Until he’d been doing it for five years and still going strong, he couldn’t sit in an on-call room for five minutes without one of his nurses paging him about a broken bone fracture just as he was about to take a bite of the delicious lasagna he made for himself earlier this morning.</p><p>“Apparently he jumped off a one-story building,” Pietro informed him. “Accidentally.”</p><p>“Who the fuck—” Leorio couldn’t even begin to comprehend <em>how</em>, he shouldn’t even be surprised when he’s heard far worse stories— but <em>still</em>, “Jesus, it’s <em>nine </em>in the morning. On a Sunday.”</p><p>“Just an idiot fucking around with friends.” His co-worker replied.</p><p>Pietro was right. The nurses explained that the patient’s <em>friends </em>were frantically sharing the story of how they were simply doing <em>parkour </em>near a neighborhood park and Archie ended up leaping off a building and enduring a nasty fall.</p><p>“Open fracture.” Oito, one of the nurses informed them. “Both legs.”</p><p>Leorio jogged into the OR room, Archie lied there in the hospital bed— screaming bloody murder. <em>Ah. </em>This was the first way to start Leorio’s day shift after dropping his son off. A dumbass who parkoured wildly off the roof of a memorial building and fractured both his legs, the fracture severe enough that the bone pierced right out of his skin. His friends were scared shitless while the other nurses had to escort them back to the waiting room.</p><p>“Oh, that doesn’t look good. Hang in there, buddy.” he turned to Pietro, “Teenagers like to do shit like this on weekends, huh?” He flipped on his mask and pulled on his gloves, “alright,” he told his subordinates, “let’s get this show on the road.”</p><p>The boy’s screaming accompanied his thrashing and Leorio calmly told them to hold him down before they assessed the injury.</p><p>Leorio came out of the operating room like there was a crime scene, and he simply wiped it off like it was nothing.</p><p>He had a few like this for the past several hours. In-between, he only took three bites out of his lasagna.</p><p>Balling between five to fifteen trauma cases a day was brutal, but Leorio fought his way into managing gruelling shifts while sweet-talking Mito into not kicking his ass for sending Gon to her daycare most of the time.</p><p>She said it was no big deal, but still, Leorio preferred if she kicked his ass anyway for the help she’s been putting into being Gon’s practical caretaker.</p><p>He sacrificed taking a quick catnap in the call room to call Mito on the phone instead. It’s one of those days he wouldn’t make it home until a little later, so he wanted to hear his son’s voice at least once before he wouldn’t again for the next two to three hours.</p><p>
  <em>“What was the last case?”</em>
</p><p>“Gunshot wound. You wanna guess where?”</p><p>
  <em>“...I don’t think I do.”</em>
</p><p>“The dick!”</p><p>
  <em>“Leorio, Gon is sitting right next to me.”</em>
</p><p>“Oh, perfect. I’m on a little break right now. Mind putting my little frog on the phone?” Leorio pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the soreness in his eyes. At least with night shifts he could sleep long enough to endure it but he’s too busy recovering from the <em>previous </em>shift to deal with the next one back to back in a full week.</p><p><em>“Hey dad!” </em>It’s Gon on the phone. <em>“Guess what we did in school today?”</em></p><p>“What’d you do?”</p><p>
  <em>“Oregan!”</em>
</p><p>“I think you mean origami, kiddo.” Leorio chuckled.</p><p>
  <em>“Mr. Kurta makes a lot of them! They taught us how to make it!”</em>
</p><p>“Make sure you save one for me.”</p><p>
  <em>“Duh, of course I did. I make sure to save something extra for you all the time so you can have something from me.”</em>
</p><p>The fact that Gon knew Leorio pretty much lived in this damn room tugged at his heartstrings. “I can’t wait to see how it looks.”</p><p>
  <em>“I’m trying to make Auntie Mito let me bring Nog to daycare… but she says no.”</em>
</p><p>“Tell her that I’ll owe her if she lets you.” Leorio said. “I’m sure the kids would love to see him. Sucks you can’t bring him to school.”</p><p>Mito ran the daycare in her own home with Abe, but she wasn’t very fond of pets.</p><p>Leorio’s pager went off.</p><p><em>“Does daddy have to go?” </em>Leorio didn’t even have to tell him, he’s heard that noise a hundred times over.</p><p>“Duty calls.” Leorio rolled his shoulders. “Alright, catch ya later punk.”</p><p>
  <em>“Work hard enough to make the bags under your eyes go away!”</em>
</p><p><em>“He’s already too old for them to disappear.” </em>He heard Mito retort on the line, and they laughed. Leorio held back a yawn.</p><p>“Love ya lil frog. I’ll be home soon.” Leorio hung up his phone and shoved it in his pocket.</p><p>He met up with the trauma team, ready to tackle on the last few cases for the evening. He didn’t leave the hospital until late night, instead, getting changed into more comfortable clothing and out of his dirty old scrubs in his more cozier office sectioned off at the building.</p><p>A knock on the door alerted Leorio as he scrolled through texts Gon sent to him through Mito’s phone throughout the day, smiling to himself. He stared at the photo of him on his desk.</p><p>“Yo!” Zepile opened the door. “I had to ask around to make sure you still weren’t working. Your office is all the way on the other side of the damn building.” he lifted up a bag, “I got Subway.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Leorio responded tiredly. Zepile dropped the bag on the desk, pulling out a chair from the corner.</p><p>“I still have to assess patients.”</p><p>“I don’t see any patients in here.”</p><p>Leorio simply just let him, “Roast beef?”</p><p>“I can say that shit with my eyes closed now.” Zepile started eating his sandwich on Leorio’s desk. Leorio laughed, opening his sandwich. He finished his remaining lasagna an hour ago, sometimes he was starving when he stayed later than usual and the locked snack fridge that opened during night hours didn’t always have the best tasting sandwiches. So, Zepile came on down when he closed down his shop for the night. He took a large bite and felt the energy he lost slowly coming back to him.</p><p>“How’s the move going?”</p><p>“It’s… going. At least I don’t have to bother mom anymore or else she’d rip my head off.”</p><p>“You spent half your fucking residency in that house, man. I’m surprised she didn’t kill you.”</p><p>“Well I moved back <em>in </em>after everyone moved out.” Leorio laughed. “Only because I didn’t know how to fix my living situation, after… y’know, Aura.”</p><p>He couldn’t stare at her face in the picture frame too long, but lately, he’s stopped turning it face down when patients showed up during his after-hours. “I got Gon into one of the schools in Yorknew, he’s doing better than I initially thought.”</p><p>“Even I don’t know how he does it.” Zepile said, “but it ain’t like the kid got to know his mom.”</p><p>“He’s only asked about her once, can you believe that? When I told him the truth, he just said okay, it’s just you and me now, then.” Leorio said, “I mean I still think about it. He was just three years old.”</p><p>Zepile sipped from his straw, “would you preferred to say she’s not coming back?”</p><p>“No, I just wonder if I’m any different than her.”</p><p>“How so?”</p><p>“The fact that I’m not around.”</p><p>“You just landed a pretty badass fellowship.” Zepile reached over and clapped Leorio in the shoulder, “you wouldn’t have been able to move out your mom’s place again if you didn’t get the job here. I thought your plan was a couple years here before you open private practice.”</p><p>Leorio smiled a little, “that… was my plan, huh?”</p><p>“Your kid still loves you, and he’s always gonna be waiting on you. Besides, you got uncle Zeppy and Pietro around too.”</p><p>“Don’t ever call yourself Uncle Zeppy again or I’m kicking you the Hell outta my office.”</p><p>“...No offense, but it has been a hot minute.” Zepile leaned forward, graciously changing the subject. “Your Tinder profile’s collecting dust.”</p><p>“I’m on call for like, thirteen hours a day.”</p><p>“And all you do is go to the gym and sleep when you’re not doting all over Gon.”</p><p>“Once again, I’m on-call, for like half a day.” Leorio sipped from his drink as well.</p><p>“Did you meet any hot parents?”</p><p>“Didn’t you have to relocate stores because you almost got busted for your counterfeit schemes?”</p><p>“I got that sorted out already!”</p><p>“Sure you did.”</p><p>“I got it handled. But anyways, Gon told me somethin’ a little interesting the other day.” Zepile said, “talks about this pretty teacher of his.”</p><p>“What’re you coaxin’ outta him while I’m basically dying at work?”</p><p>“He just tells me everything. I don’t have to force anything out of him. He could go on and on about how much he adores his teacher.”</p><p>Mr. Kurta’s certainly the most gorgeous person Leorio’s laid eyes on. He’s heard nothing about positive things about them according to their… rather <em>odd </em>friend, Pairo, who’d slip in little tidbits and trivia about Mr. Kurta when Leorio went looking for them. He saw the way Gon clung to their hand when they left the school during dismissal time, bounced and preened at their presence, and how the other kids latched onto them as if they didn’t want to go home to their own parents.</p><p>And it meant absolutely nothing.</p><p>After Aura, he had a number one rule. To swear off anything outside of a casual relationship. No matter how tempting it was because of how <em>stunning </em>and <em>breathtaking </em>Gon’s teacher was in particular. Leorio had the urge to get down on one knee their first encounter and he hadn’t had a wild thought like that in decades. Something about pretty blondes simply altered his brain chemistry, and he couldn’t help that if he tried.</p><p>Gon’s top priority, even if he’s been slaving himself evaluating patients and saving their life— once he got the chance to be with his son he’d take it in a heartbeat. He understood completely how parents felt seeing their ill or injured children confined in here under unfortunate circumstances, and after a multitude of tests wishing that they’d come home already so they could be together properly, the good and the bad. Of course once Gon was born, he had to step up and provide for just the two of them. Zepile was there to remind him that he wasn’t alone in this after the loss.</p><p>He’s growing up steadfast and he had to keep an eye on how this was affecting him, this new life, so he was pushing to the extremes to do the best he could to monitor and observe, love and raise him right.</p><p>“I care more about if he’s doing well, is all. But I have to mingle if I wanna be on good terms with the school and get more involved in his life.”</p><p>“You’re too much of a good Samaritan to realize you’re more suited to be a good partner.”</p><p>“I think I’d be the worst, actually, which was exactly my point.”</p><p>Zepile snorted, “don’t be like me and keep stickin’ to fucking one night and dipping. Anyways, when ya gettin’ outta here?”</p><p>Leorio checked his watch, “not until another hour.”</p><p>“Mind if I bring Gon here in the meantime, then?”</p><p>“You know how I feel about bringing him into my office.” He already felt bad about showing Gon the very place that kept him busy for forty hours or more each week.</p><p>“He loves it here!” Zepile swayed, “just let him.”</p><p>Leorio took off his glasses, wiping them with the cloth he fetched from his case. “Get him a snack, too. And Mito. She’s been working hard.”</p><p>“Mind if I get one for Pietro?”</p><p>Leorio smiled, leaning back in his chair. “Sure, why not?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>People would say that Kurapika’s a homebody— and they would agree to that entirely. Unlike their co-workers, Kurapika didn’t have mountains of papers to <em>grade</em> as intensely as they do. Which were the disadvantages of teaching higher grades. But it hadn’t meant that the majority of his free-time <em>wasn't</em> making sure he had their lesson plans prepared for the next morning of his tight schedule.</p><p>Although, sometimes. <em>Just</em>, sometimes, he liked to dress up for a night in the town. <em>Sometimes. </em></p><p>Just alone, that is.</p><p>His party-crazed co-workers were quite <em>too much </em>to handle when they all went to Knuckle’s after work. Primarily because they drank irresponsibly and complained all the coffee had been finished by everyone else in the mornings to fix their shitty hangovers. There was only one single coffee machine in the teacher’s lounge, a limited supply of coffee, and about a hundred Yorknew staff who needed an abnormal amount of caffeine intake if they needed to get through a single fucking day.</p><p>He didn’t blame them for wanting to get wasted until the next week.</p><p>Everytime his parents called him to remind him about open houses for law school gave Kurapika another reason to take a trip to the liquor store. He sat down at his mirror, carefully perfecting the perfect cat-eye of his eyeliner, uncapped his best red lipstick, smacked his lips together in the mirror and turned his head from one side to the other. Good enough.</p><p>A familiar tuft of white fur perched on top of his desk. She leaned in and licked Kurapika’s cheek.</p><p>“I won’t be gone that long, my dear.” He told Toodles, “I promise.” he cooed, giving her a soft kiss on her nose.</p><p>He lifted up his poodle and set her down on the ground, “you’re going to mess up all the makeup again if you stand on top of my desk.”</p><p>She yipped in protest.</p><p>“You heard me! It took me two hours to put everything back together.”</p><p>Once Kurapika was done, he switched over to his outfit, opening his closet and sorting through his clothing.</p><p>No. No. He should throw that one out. No. This one was a hand-me-down from his mother that he’s never worn once, this he hadn’t worn since he was fifteen… <em>Ah, </em>his eyes settled on something. There we go.</p><p>His best jeans, high-waisted, were taken fresh out of the laundry. The blouse on his person tied to a knot at his midriff and left a strip of skin at his chest with the top few buttons undone. Made a great v-neck, (thanks to Machi for making a DIY outfit agenda to <em>thot it up </em>on a budget) and slipped into a pair of ankle boots.</p><p>This Saturday, Kurapika was going to take himself out on a date.</p><p>That’s why this weekend, a random weekend chosen off a random day of the week, was special.</p><p>He didn’t own a car, despite gaining a license <em>for </em>the sole purpose of moving out of his parents' house and relocating to Yorknew for his job. Public transportation was much more convenient and something he was used to and just avoided obtaining a car entirely. The school was approximately an hour away from his apartment and sometimes the trains ran late, but that’s why he woke up early enough to make it on time.</p><p>Instead of going through the Hell of that he’d rather treat himself a little better than that. He grabbed his purse, got a rideshare, and headed on over to an italian restaurant half an hour away.</p><p>The staff knew him quite well. So did the regulars. They welcomed him with kind smiles and tended to his reservation, for himself, and got him settled at the best view of the building. Several floors up with a clear opening of the city down below, gorgeous to look over while sipping expensive wine. He knew he was on a damn budget, but fuck, he’d take this over dollar store liquor any fucking day.</p><p>Coming here meant having balls with the looks he got, and it was almost entertaining. To think that Kurapika was being stood up by anyone. The last time Machi and Pairo put him up to Tinder dates Kurapika was the one doing the standing up. (Pairo said standing someone up approximately eighty-six times, Kurapika swore it was eighty-<em>seven</em>, but it’s fine, isn’t something to be proud of. But he’s not one to answer his phone and remember that he had a date the following week because he’s busy doing other things. Sorry.) He ate the most delectable dishes and asked for another glass simply because he just wanted to feel less like <em>shit </em>and maybe he deserved this much.</p><p>He told Pairo if he can’t get a proper date then why can’t he just date himself? If his friend couldn’t understand that, Kurapika would just have to prove it. So he’s been setting these self-care dates at the cost of freeing up a bit of his schedule.</p><p>Next stop for the night was Knuckle’s.</p><p>“Have a good night, Mr. Kurta.” Genesis waved him goodbye. He’s one of the restaurant's hosts and an absolute darling, making sure to say that every time Kurapika left the vicinity.</p><p>“You too, Genesis.” The doors were opened for him on his way out.</p><p>Kurapika checked the time. He’d spend about an hour or two at Knuckle’s and then he’d take his leave. He left their work group chat on mute and put his phone on DND so he wasn’t notified when they spammed nonsense in it. Many times some of them left the chat because they were talking about who possibly had the hairiest balls and not appropriate discussion related to their <em>jobs</em>, only to be unfortunately re-added back (especially Feitan who just about despises all of them.)</p><p>Weekend nights were crowded, meaning he didn’t have to worry about people trying to single him out when they were trying to single dozens of other people before him. It meant it was easier to blend in when the locals often came in groups, herds more like it, and were too occupied in talking to each other than the singles looking to mingle, a few pairs here and there. Some Kurapika acknowledged in passing and vice versa. But they never bothered to make any deep connections when tonight was just meant for him to spend time with <em>himself</em>.</p><p>Knuckle never said anything, just asked for the usual and Kurapika nodded. Conversation time was less when there were ten other people at the bar waiting for their drinks and shouting over normal volume.</p><p>“—man I swear she was into me. She was all on me the whole night.” Kurapika nursed his strawberry daiquiri, picking up the conversation of some guy from behind him. It just so happened that he overheard the footsteps of two people approaching the counter. “And then she just never calls back the next morning!”</p><p>“I never thought I’ve heard that story before.”</p><p>Kurapika almost choked on his drink. He pinpointed that voice almost instantly, drowning with sarcasm but the same familiar air to it he’s heard a couple times before.</p><p>“No but this is different, man!” Leorio’s friend, a brunet, thick eyebrows knotted in frustration. “<em>Like she was really into me</em>.”</p><p>“Was.” Leorio arched a brow, the two of them took a seat <em>right next </em>to Kurapika and he had to quickly turn his face and hide it. The worst night to take himself out and he had to be sitting in the same vicinity as Leorio. He could’ve just worn a wig if he knew the odds would be <em>this </em>high, he's done it before when he was feeling a little more stylish. But going natural was his forte.</p><p>Shit. Shit. <em>Shit. </em></p><p>“Zepile the last chick you hit up you offered a breath mint <em>out of courtesy</em>.” Leorio snorted. “What could you have possibly done this time?”</p><p>“I took your advice!” Zepile exclaimed, banging a fist on the table. “I made sure I was the best date I could possibly be and then I don’t get a call back after she left my place.”</p><p>“Ouch, maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.” Knuckle and Leorio made eye contact, as if Kurapika didn’t have another reason to dread tonight entirely. “Yo, Knucks!”</p><p>“Leo!” Knuckle exclaimed, and he and Leorio practically <em>dapped </em>each other up like they’ve known each other for decades, Zepile followed shortly after. Kurapika pulled out his phone, shifting so that his whole body turned <em>away </em>from the two men. "Man what's up!"</p><p>"Hey Knuckle." Zepile said, "I bet you weren't expecting to see the both of us."</p><p>"My day shift just ended." Leorio rolled his eyes, "I'm also gonna be off tomorrow. So cut me some slack."</p><p>"I can count on my fingers the times you've showed up with Zepile." Knuckle teased.</p><p>Kurapika sent multiple texts to Pairo impatiently waiting for a response.</p><p><strong>Pairo [10:46 P.M]: </strong>What's up?????!!!!</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:46 P.M]: </strong>I'm going to fucking kill myself.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:47 P.M]: </strong>Leorio is at Knuckle's.</p><p><strong>Pairo [10:47 P.M]: </strong>the fucking hot dad?</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:47 P.M]: </strong>Yes.</p><p><strong>Pairo [10:47 P.M]: </strong>o</p><p><strong>Pairo [10:47 P.M]: </strong>LMAOOOOOOOO</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:48 P.M]: </strong>WHAT DO I DO.</p><p>
  <strong>Pairo [10:49 P.M]: 🍆💦💦👀</strong>
</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:50 P.M]: </strong>You and Machi are deranged.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:50 P.M]: </strong>I'm not doing that</p><p><strong>Pairo [10:51 P.M]: </strong>why does my bestie have to be so basic :(((</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:52 P.M]: </strong>I literally don’t have time for this.</p><p>Kurapika could just leave. His original reason for coming here was because he wanted to spend time with <em>himself</em>. Meeting Gon’s <em>guardian </em>outside of school grounds felt extremely unprofessional and he’d rather not deal with the awkwardness of finding out they frequented the same damn bar. The same one where they just happened to talk of the commencing of their betting pool.</p><p>Which gave him every reason to tail it out of there. He finished his drink at an alarming speed and reached into his wallet to leave Knuckle a gracious tip, got up, grabbed his purse, and—</p><p>“<em>‘xcuse me</em>.”</p><p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p><p>Kurapika pretended he didn’t hear who the voice belonged to, weaving through the people standing in the crowded bar. Maybe if he looked like he was in a hurry then Leorio would just give up, but instead, Kurapika missed a step and stumbled right over nearing the exit.</p><p>A pair of arms circled him fast enough that if he were thinking any smarter he’d act on his instincts and beat the shit out of anyone who dared to touch him he knew not <em>a single fucking bit</em>.</p><p>A whiff of that same cologne and staring into the prettiest fucking eyes Kurapika’s ever seen shut that instinct down within mere seconds.</p><p>“Oof,” Leorio huffed a laugh, “you okay there? Be careful and watch your step.”</p><p>“Mr. Paladiknight?” Thankfully, Kurapika knew how to be a great pretender. Marveling like it was a surprise they met and had another encounter tonight despite seeing him unexpectedly.</p><p>Leorio’s arms, <em>lord were they strong</em>, removed themselves from Kurapika. Unceremoniously forgetting they placed themselves in the busy hours of late night bar hopping of downtown Yorknew.</p><p>“Sorry, uh, I wanted to make sure it was you who I was seeing. I had to do a double-take when I saw you leave.”</p><p>“I was just waiting for someone.” The poor excuse seemed like the most suitable there was. He even looked around, “at least, I thought I was.” he quipped, a little too lighthearted than of disappointment.</p><p>“No show?” Leorio sounded surprised, “it is kinda crowded, I told Zepile I didn’t wanna come down here but he kept insisting.”</p><p>“It does sound tempting doesn’t it?”</p><p>“Well I really did need a drink.”</p><p>People brushing against them as they passed by didn’t seem much like a bother anymore, nor as suffocating.</p><p>“Probably got lost, huh?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Your special someone, probably.”</p><p>Kurapika sighed wistfully. “Better luck next time I suppose.”</p><p>“Ah, so your special someone for the night.”</p><p>“Well I was considering leaving.” Kurapika explained, “now I wouldn’t want to confuse this aforementioned friend of yours and impose.”</p><p>“Hey man guess what?!” A hand clapped Leorio on the shoulder, intervening on their conversation. “She texted me back!”</p><p>Leorio’s cheeks reddened faintly in embarrassment, and he laughed, bashful, “Zepile I—”</p><p>“I told you so!”</p><p>“<em>You sure did.</em>” The vexation in his eyes was almost amusing, his friend, Kurapika would presume as Zepile, paid no mind to. In fact, he glanced at Kurapika knowingly and smiled even wider.</p><p>“And you know where I’m gonna go? Club Bongo, a few blocks down. She’s waiting for me there. <em>So you’ll have me off your back for the night</em>.”</p><p>“Wow, good luck.” Kurapika hadn’t meant to encourage it at all, but he only did it to be polite.</p><p>“I’m gonna score.” Zepile said, “I’ll shove it in his face that she’s the one.” he told Kurapika, “welp! See ya!”</p><p>“You ain’t gonna fucking ditch me in the middle of a—” Leorio hissed under his breath, Zepile strode right on toward the front door. He didn’t even turn back once, settling with a single half-assed wave.</p><p>“Well I was here with a friend.” Leorio explained. Kurapika trying hard not to show too much beguilement, “as you can see, he’s an asshole.”</p><p>“We’ve both been stood up.” Kurapika shrugged.</p><p>“I guess so!” Leorio laughed, “but that’s… that’s Zepile for you.”</p><p>“I’m assuming this thing happens often?”</p><p>“All the time. This ain’t fucking new.” Kurapika had to give a chuckle to that one, involuntarily, but he saw the way the other smiled oh-so handsomely that he found the encounter entertaining.</p><p>Kurapika had to end this conversation, however. As much as part of him wanted to sit here and chit-chat, no one’s supposed to get in the way of a self-care weekend.</p><p>“Give it another ten hours and he’ll be sobbing to me while I’m working about getting ghosted.” Leorio muttered, leaning closer to Kurapika’s ear.</p><p>He had the air of an intern tolerating a nine to five in an office building filled with nothing but pricks with sticks shoved up their asses. It’s a stretch of an assumption. But Shalnark was planning another meeting where they’d have to settle on an official guess to place in the betting pool and after that their guesses would be <em>final</em>.</p><p>It couldn’t hurt to get a little more serious.</p><p>“You leaving me already?!” It’s Knuckle’s voice calling from a few feet away at the bar.</p><p>On second thought, Kurapika preferred if no one misunderstood that he was here alone and not with anyone else.</p><p>“It’s a bit too crowded for my tastes.” It wasn’t, really. Blocking out people was easy after a couple drinks. Kurapika nodded at Leorio. “Have a good night, Mr. Paladiknight.”</p><p>“Wait, just— hold on—” Leorio went back to the bar. Kurapika frowned. He decided he’d wait outside instead. It’d be rude to leave and ignore his request.</p><p>He’d run right outside, Kurapika turning around and facing a breathless Leorio bending over with his hands on his knees.</p><p>With a proper view now that outside was less packed, the long-sleeved button-down and the glorious peak of skin underneath the open buttons on top.</p><p>“Do you— do you have a ride?”</p><p>“I’d just—” Kurapika held up his phone, vaguely gesturing to a rideshare.</p><p>“And pay another what, sixty bucks to get back?”</p><p>...Strangely accurate. “I don’t mind it.” his bank account does. In fact, it was <em>screaming</em>.</p><p>“I drove here.” Leorio pulled his keys out from his pocket. “Where do you live?”</p><p>“Westside." Kurapika said vaguely.</p><p>"Yeah that's like, an hour into the other side of town."</p><p>"You're not going to ditch a whole night of free time to drop me off." Kurapika snorted.</p><p>"Watch me." Leorio winked. He left a dumbfounded Kurapika to wander after him where he parked his car.</p><p>Parking in the city was a <em>bitch </em>and if anyone had that kind of money they'd be spending over twenty-five an hour for a parking spot. Which is why the majority of the people here just hitched a ride, sat their ass on the bus or subway, or preferred to get in someone else's car so they don't have to pay a single penny. Part of why Kurapika hadn't invested in an actual car yet.</p><p>Part of why they're driving back to his place in a car that's not his <em>own</em>.</p><p>Leorio offered Kurapika scented hand sanitizer as they buckled their seat belts.</p><p>"Oh, thank you." Kurapika allowed him to apply some.</p><p>"I have a collection." Leorio said, "prefer to hoard all the cute ones so I don't run out."</p><p>"I actually need one of these myself." Kurapika said, "if I need to get through a day without being exposed to art supplies with snot residue on them."</p><p>"Feel free to take any!" Leorio opened the middle compartment behind the stick shift, where there's an <em>assortment </em>of colored, scented hand sanitizers. They're all mini-sized and keychain friendly. "Think of it as souvenirs."</p><p>The red airhead flavored one looked tempting. Kurapika took that one. Leorio started up the car and the drive back took less time due to a clear road.</p><p>"How's Gon?" Kurapika asked when they reached a stoplight, "....he's doing so well in school. I wonder if how he does outside of it contributes to that."</p><p>"Oh shit, I didn't know I was being evaluated. I'm nervous." Leorio joked.</p><p>"Relax. Not at all." Kurapika rolled his eyes, "it's just that new students are often anxious when adjusting to a new setting so I tend to ask if they're doing okay at home."</p><p>He wanted to maintain <em>some </em>professionalism.</p><p>"He shifts between staying with me and his aunt, see," Leorio said, "I understand the pickup situation seems crazy, I get it."</p><p>"Nothing is as crazy as one of my students' own situation, who gets picked up by a butler, mind you. We can barely afford proper school materials so we have to recycle old ones. What family like the <em>Zoldycks</em> has business attending there?"</p><p>"Must be going to the wrong school then."</p><p>"Trust me we all thought that."</p><p>It earned a chuckle out of Leorio, "we play hot potato a lot with custody because of work but we make sure that he gets his work done and that he's able to socialize too, doesn't get shut in, do what any little kid wants at his age. I don't want him to get lonely because of the move. He's closer to his favorite aunt now which is good for me, it wouldn't make hiring a babysitter and all that a thing. He doesn't really like those."</p><p>"They do cost money."</p><p>"Well that's not the problem, it's more like they tend to flirt with me."</p><p>"Oh." Kurapika nodded slowly. "...well is that really a problem?"</p><p>"Not if they're a babysitter who's barely started high school."</p><p>"Oh my God."</p><p><em>"Uh huh. </em>I kinda swore off those ads because it's like a wheel you spin and you have no fucking idea what kinda bullshit you're gonna get. And Mito and Abe don't mind. As long as he's not getting into trouble."</p><p>"He is a hyper one."</p><p>"You see why I worry." They pulled up to Kurapika's place just on the curb.</p><p>"I see him doing well here." Kurapika said, unbuckling his seat belt. "I'll do what I can to get him back on track. Moving is tough for kids."</p><p>"Hey, I understand that tonight might've not gone too well for you." Leorio scratched the back of his head, "but I hope you're feeling better about it now."</p><p>"In fact, I almost forgot about it." Kurapika answered jovially. They laughed as if he wasn't saying the truth, undoubtedly. "Best of luck on the status of your friend's uh, endeavors."</p><p>"God, thanks for reminding me."</p><p>Kurapika held up the hand sanitizer, <em>the souvenir</em>, more like it, and gave one last smile before leaving the car.</p><p>Pairo was probably going to judge by the lack of response Kurapika was up to something, but Kurapika would rather not indulge in anyone's bullshit.</p><p>Tonight was better.</p><p>Even if Kurapika was meant to spend it alone.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Alright, this is our second official meeting!" Shalnark said. They chose a night at Knuckle's where their presence would make up for most the bar's population than on a weekend during happy hours.</p><p>Machi dropped a jar on the counter filled with blank pieces of paper, and a stack of pencils tied together with a rubber band.</p><p>Kurapika wished Melody would've shown up since she wasn't even part of the bet, more to be a plus one and someone Kurapika could tolerate. But unfortunately she couldn't make it. Only Pairo and the smug looks he's been giving Kurapika the past week.</p><p>"Okay so everyone has to settle on a single guess." Machi said. "Write it down on this silly little piece of paper. We count all the guesses. Whoever turns out to be right gets a hundred bucks."</p><p>"Not that I care," Feitan said, "I don't, but what is the point of this?"</p><p>"Whether the hot dad is making bank." Machi said, "obviously."</p><p>"Betting on other people's lives because yours are boring again, I see."</p><p>"Remind me why you're any less boring." Shalnark teased. The rest of them started hollering, and Kurapika rolled his eyes. "A few rules! No changing guesses. Your last guess tonight is your final. If more than one person is right then they win those hundred bucks too."</p><p>"We have to cough up more than a hundred bucks?!" Uvogin asked, "that wasn't even part of the original rules!"</p><p>"Makes it more interesting than just giving it all to one person."</p><p>"Depends if you manage to be right." Phinks noted.</p><p>"You said we're not allowed to ask outright." Pakunoda said, "what about outsiders?"</p><p>"No can do." Shalnark responded. "Keep this on school grounds. Meaning you can't take this out of it."</p><p>"None of us are planning on romancing the dude ourselves." Machi laughed. "He's just some parent. We're in this for the money."</p><p>"You hear that Kurapika?" Pairo smirked. Kurapika nearly choked on his drink, but he kept his calm and leveled a steely gaze with Pairo.</p><p>If he's being honest, he forgot this meeting was supposed to occur and turned out he <em>met</em> with Leorio when he wasn't <em>supposed</em> to.</p><p>He didn't even properly think his guesses through. The last one was supposed to be <em>final? </em>This was how far they were going?</p><p>"Be professional, not conversational." Shalnark said. "We're giving Kurapika the advantage of confirming whether one of us is right. He is the dad of the kid he's teaching. But we still need boundaries to make stuff more fun. So you can't get closer than the rest of us."</p><p>"I… surely wasn't planning on it." Kurapika assured, looking directly at Pairo.</p><p>"Alright, so let's do this." Machi opened the jar and handed each of them a piece of paper. "No erasing. That means scribbling your original guess. You stay with that shit. Write it down, and then we tally up the votes."</p><p>"Also <em>no peeking</em>," Pakunoda added crisply, pushing Shalnark away.</p><p>Kurapika was in a state of panic. He didn't have time to think this thing through at all and now he had to settle on <em>one </em>guess.</p><p>"One minute." Machi decided. She set the timer on her phone. Everyone wrote down their guesses.</p><p>Kurapika went with everyone's initial guess, which was either a lawyer or a doctor. He went with the latter.</p><p>"Time's up!" Machi sang, "put 'em in!"</p><p>"I'm not done yet!" Shalnark whined.</p><p>"No can do buddy." Machi gestured to the jar. "Inside."</p><p>"This'll be fun!" Pairo convinced, everyone chucked their folded papers into the jar.</p><p>Machi closed it and shook it around for a bit. "Seems promising." She smirked, opening it back up.</p><p>"I'm only helping with tallying." Feitan said.</p><p>"Okay," Machi proceeded onto the results, "two votes for business CEO, a con artist? An architect, designer, one for boring intern, one for a sexy gigolo. One for an accountant, office secretary, nerdy tech guy, and well, what do we have here!" Machi grinned, "a doctor!"</p><p>"Let me get this straight." Nobunaga said, "<em>no one </em>except one person went with the first guess we had?"</p><p>"It's better to make second guesses to be sure?" Pairo shrugged.</p><p>Kurapika stayed silent.</p><p>"Well then. Interesting choices." Machi hummed. "Everyone is aware that they can't <em>change </em>this guess. Even if you're a good liar and manage to swindle your way through this. You can't. Me and Shalnark made sure of this. We will find out, don't even try it. This is <em>final</em>."</p><p>"It's about time I won one of these bets." Uvogin huffed.</p><p>"Well I guess that settles it!" Shalnark said, prompting a toast between the large group.</p><p>"Welcome to the betting pools." Pairo winked at Kurapika.</p><p>He suddenly wanted to up and leave.</p><p>This was a mistake.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"We didn't do anything." Kurapika told Pairo during the next lunch break. "I actually wanted to leave but he wouldn't let me."</p><p>"Mhm."</p><p>"He just kept, I don't know, being persistent!"</p><p>"Uh huh."</p><p>"<em>It was just one ride home</em>."</p><p>"There we go."</p><p>"I didn't know it was cheating."</p><p>"You should know it is even before it was established."</p><p>"I should drop out then!" Kurapika suggested, "therefore I no longer have any advantages or disadvantages."</p><p>"A little too late for that. You put your guess in the jar last week." Pairo said. "What's in the guess jar stays in the guess jar."</p><p>"You people take this more seriously than I thought."</p><p>"For money? You wouldn't believe." Pairo laughed, "hey as long as you don't fall in love with him then it'll make things easier for yourself. But that is a weird coincidence he's <em>really </em>good friends with Knuckle."</p><p>Kurapika stared at the sad salad he made today. "I would feel really bad if I did. Gon is such a sweet kid."</p><p>"Did you check whether or not he's got a ring though…?" Pairo pointed at his finger.</p><p>"Get out of my classroom." Kurapika glared.</p><p>His laugh did not help the immediate flush on Kurapika's cheeks.</p><p>Come to think of it, Kurapika didn't <em>think </em>to check if the man was wedded. For someone who <em>is </em>a parent, it's common sense that looks deceive and the lack of a ring couldn't say whether he was faithful or if he just preferred to keep it at home. Another reason why he shouldn't get involved in these matters in the first place.</p><p>Leorio worked up to a strange schedule. Sometimes he dropped off Gon and sometimes it was someone else. If he wasn't there in the morning then he was there for dismissal.</p><p>Kurapika didn't see any ring for each of their encounters, nor did he see a guardian who resembled Gon's mother of the sort. Just his aunt, or Zepile. So perhaps he <em>was </em>single, or there was a girlfriend who was too busy to take Gon to school.</p><p>Kurapika figured by keeping their conversations short and professional then it wouldn't constitute getting closer than needed. It worked. For the most part, they couldn’t interact much when every mom on the planet shoved him out the way to get a conversation in as if they didn’t have their kids to take home. Gon was aware his father was a busy man and there were some days Kurapika didn't see him at all because he was waiting in the car. He’d just play around with Killua until they were ready to part, though Killua didn’t hesitate to go home with Gon so they could spend more time together. Gon didn't mind waiting with Killua and his friends and had the same smile on his face as he did every morning upon leaving.</p><p>He was a strange child, alright.</p><p>Every single day he came to school in a new peculiar style of fashion: frogs. From his hat down to his shoes to match his backpack. Anything distractingly <em>green</em> and frog-styled, or patterned, if everyday was a costume day Gon would be ahead of everyone by hundreds of points.</p><p>It was like his classmates were more interested in seeing what Gon was going to show up to school in than the class itself.</p><p>Whenever someone asked where he got all these cool merchandise, charms, and outfits from, he always said it was from his father.</p><p>One afternoon, Gon had pointed something out after practicing their phonetic lessons.</p><p>“I have that too!”</p><p>Kurapika’s getting their next lesson ready on his laptop, his gaze flickered up at Gon. “What?”</p><p>Gon pointed at the red hand sanitizer on his desk. “Daddy gave me the same hand sanitizer he got from work!”</p><p>Kurapika noticed it instantly, and he took it, placing it in his desk drawer. “Oh, is that so?” he almost forgot that Leorio gave him one of these and he’s left it on his desk for the past week.</p><p>Gon showed Kurapika the same hand sanitizer he had in his pocket. “We’re matching! This is strawberry scented airheads flavored.”</p><p>“I see.” Kurapika smiled, “sounds like a coincidence.”</p><p>“Where did you get yours?”</p><p>He was two seconds away from saying that it was from Leorio, but Gon absolutely shouldn’t know that. “It was a gift.” he responded.</p><p>“Wow…” Gon hopped closer to Kurapika’s table, “my dad like, has a <em>really </em>huge collection of these!”</p><p>Kurapika laughed, “well he always asks if you have your hand sanitizers almost every morning we see each other.”</p><p>Gon scratched his head bashfully, “sometimes I don’t.”</p><p>“Gon.” Kurapika chided gently. “It’s always important to protect your hands from germs.”</p><p>“Sometimes the other kids want some too! ‘Cause it smells good! And they come in different colors and stuff.”</p><p>...Come to think of it, it made sense why Kurapika’s been seeing the other kids with the same brand. He just figured among the children they’d have the same variation of school supplies for their age range, he’s done enough shopping hauls for the new year, the most dreadful time around, to know what kinds of things his students would like. Whether it be the adorable cartoon show oriented backpacks and their wacky folders or pencil cases. He’s been giving the other kids some of his stuff.</p><p>Kurapika sighed. “The things your dad got for you is supposed to be for you to keep only.”</p><p>“But I feel bad that they don’t have these…” Gon murmured.</p><p>Five to six-year-olds can’t take advantage of each other, but it’s more like Gon was doing free charity work and these kids would go home to their parents exclaiming that they got something new each day from Gon. Now he was becoming a favorite of the other parents.</p><p>“You can’t give everything to everyone, can you?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“I can…” Though Gon didn’t sound very certain about this himself, “I’ve got lots of stuff daddy gets me.”</p><p>“Mr. Kurta!” Zushi raised his hand, “I really need to pee!”</p><p>Whenever someone needed to pee it caused a chain reaction— because all the kids needed to pee right after he said that. Gon bounced back to his table, pretending to scare Killua from behind and the other boy yelped, causing his classmates sitting with them to laugh. He’s another strange case Kurapika couldn’t even begin to decipher without giving him a headache. Ever since Gon showed up he’s become more of a<em> decent</em> model student, though sometimes students still complained when sand got shoved inside their pants and Killua would pin the blame on somebody else.</p><p>“Um…” Kurapika stared down at his watch, “we’ll have to wait.”</p><p>“How long?” Pokkle asked.</p><p>“When the short hand of the clock hits six,” Kurapika pointed at the clock on the wall in front of them. “Remember what time it is when the clock hits six?”</p><p>“Half-past!” Everyone answered.</p><p>“What time specifically?”</p><p>“One thirty!”</p><p>“What time is it now?”</p><p>“One fifteen!”</p><p>“Excellent. You guys are getting better at learning how to tell time.” Kurapika leaned forward, he could tell they were getting antsy now that some of them were finished with their work. “How about this? If everyone can get the room cleaned up, you get a single piece of candy from our candy jar. We made a mess putting together our apple trees earlier to hang up. The earlier we finish we can have playtime as soon as we get back from bathroom break.” he set the timer on his phone, “okay, ready, set, go!”</p><p>They scrambled from their chairs so fast to start cleaning up. It’d be believable if they were told that it was because they’d get dismissed early— but Kurapika invested in a candy jar to motivate them to make his day <em>less </em>exhausting and more easier. Whether it be they push their chairs in, throw something in the garbage, finish their work in time, line up quietly before they left the classroom, keeping the noise down and being less disruptive during reading time, keeping the carpet clean. He gave them approximately five minutes.</p><p>Their creations were slowly hung up on the empty bulletin boards of the classroom, for he had to scrap them when he taught a new class every year to make the room look more appealing.</p><p>It’s quite entertaining to see Gon and Killua compete over how many good deeds they could do, not that their classmates hadn’t tried a hand at being toe to toe with them— they were just no match. Kurapika added a star next to their names to count how many good tasks were done for the day, which were easily revoked if they were being too disruptive and they’d have to start over the next day.</p><p>Whoever had the most stars could take on any class job for the week as the role models. So far, that title went to Ponzu, Zushi, and Canary, because their stars weren’t revoked for disobedience.</p><p>Getting the kids to be good was the easy part, it’s just making sure they <em>maintain </em>good behavior was the stressful part of his job.</p><p>Which was why Kurapika dismissed the kids wanting to smash his head against the wall. Leorio wasn’t here yet, so Gon instantly followed Killua into the auditorium where they waited for the rest of his siblings and spoke to the other kids. Other than the cafeteria, morning and afternoon recess, the school auditorium during dismissal time was the most chaotic place to be in the entire fucking building. While no longer being trapped within the confinements of the classroom they thought they had the freedom to unleash their inner krakens by going completely apeshit.</p><p>Once their parents had arrived their names would be called and they’d be escorted off the premises. Kurapika tried to keep track, however, with the majority of the elementary kids dismissed on this floor present in the auditorium he couldn’t even keep track of his own kids, trying to get them to stay in their seats while they were on some manic sugar rush was like telling untrained dogs to stay put.</p><p>“Have you seen Gon or Killua around?” he asked Pairo, meeting up with some of his co-workers releasing their kids out into the wild on the same floor.</p><p>Pairo looked around, “I thought they were sitting at your row.”</p><p>“I just dismissed about five of them.”</p><p>“Oh.” Machi had a lollipop in her mouth, one of her students walked away from her after asking a question, “I think I saw them leave through the doors.”</p><p>“Was it with a <em>teacher</em>?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“No idea.” Pakunoda piped in, “they just hopped up and ran right out.”</p><p>Kurapika sighed heavily. Mr. Wing came in to collect Zushi sometime ago, Pokke and Ponzu’s parents just left about several minutes ago.</p><p>“Pipe it down!” Machi shouted, “Sorry I gotta handle ‘em.” she walked off back to her row.</p><p>“Why didn’t either of you tell me they left without a guardian?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Gon’s dad not here yet?” Pakunoda asked.</p><p>“He seems to be running a little late.”</p><p>“Maybe they went to the bathroom.” Pairo said, “besides, I don’t think any of the staff would let them be dismissed without someone being there to pick them up.”</p><p>Kurapika asked the others, most of them were too busy dealing with their students. Melody and Basho claimed they were down the hall talking to someone.</p><p>“Oh God.” He said, “who was it?”</p><p>“That weird ass looking janitor.” Basho replied.</p><p>“I think his father has arrived, by the way.” Melody reminded Kurapika, “he asked me outside if your class has been dismissed yet. Something had come up.”</p><p>“Hold on.” Kurapika rolled his eyes. He checked the main office, the front entrance by the security desk, and then the multipurpose room.</p><p>There’s another set of classrooms down the hall to the right wing.</p><p>Kurapika ran right into someone making a sharp right turn.</p><p>It was Gon, and just Gon.</p><p>“Hi Mr. Kurta!” Gon beamed. Kurapika noticed Hisoka waving down the hall with his cleaning bucket. Another janitor stared him down and shook his head, strolling past him.</p><p>“Um.” Kurapika wrapped his arms around Gon’s shoulders, guiding him back to the front entrance. “Let’s go now, Gon. He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”</p><p>“He just said he really liked my frog charm.” Gon gestured to the charm he had hanging off his backpack.</p><p>“I see.” Kurapika sighed, “you shouldn’t leave the auditorium unless you have absolute permission to be supervised.”</p><p>“I-I know…” Gon looked away guilty, scratching his head.</p><p>“Where’s Killua?”</p><p>Gon appeared startled at the question, “um! He left!” he answered suddenly.</p><p>“He did?” Kurapika blinked. “But he usually leaves with his siblings.”</p><p>“He had to leave early. So I went outside with him. He wanted me to come along and say goodbye.”</p><p>“Maybe another teacher dropped him off.” Kurapika said, “so you were wandering off on your own since then?”</p><p>“Y-Yeah…” Gon laughed nervously. It was indeed strange for Killua to leave by himself. But anything that child did was out of the ordinary as it was. So Kurapika didn’t think too much about it.</p><p>Leorio was waiting at the bottom of the staircase.</p><p>And he wasn’t alone, as per usual, Kurapika gave a sour glance at the small crowd forming around Leorio. Which he immediately disregarded once his eyes landed on Gon.</p><p>“Dad!” Gon let go of Kurapika’s hand the instant their gazes met. Kids and parents were coming in and out of the building, so as Gon was running down the stairs he bumped into another kid and tripped over the staircase.</p><p>Leorio practically sprinted up the stairs, not even bothering to politely excuse himself. Gon barrelled right into him and they were sent rolling down the staircase. Gasps filled the area. Kurapika included.</p><p>“Oh my God, Mr. Paladiknight?!” Kurapika rushed down the stairs, kneeling at their side. Leorio’s arms circled Gon tightly, hugging him to his chest. “Are you both alright?”</p><p>“Are you okay?!”</p><p>“Let me help you!”</p><p>Just like that Kurapika’s sidelined by the mom club scampering over to help him and Gon up.</p><p>“Haha, I’m fine ladies— I promise.” Leorio chuckled, “it’s my little frog I’m more worried about. A couple scratches ain’t gonna knock me down.”</p><p>“Sorry!” Gon had apologized to the little kid he ran into instead, not even dazed by the fact that he nearly got himself killed. The audacity came out of utter kindness, but it was still baffling to Kurapika.</p><p>“You okay?” Leorio sighed, “phew! That was a close one, eh?”</p><p>Gon laughed, “you caught me!”</p><p>“You bet your sweet bippy I did.”</p><p>Kurapika decided that he’d start heading back up to finish the rest of his responsibilities. Quietly excusing himself from the little aggravating fanclub formed around Leorio.</p><p>“Oh, Mr. Kurta!”</p><p>Kurapika turned around, putting on the best smile he could muster. Somehow Leorio’s managed to break free from all the conversation and they’re doting on Gon now, trying to grab a hold of their own kids wandering the main entrance.</p><p>“Well I’m glad the both of you are alright. That was… a disastrous fall.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. I told you he’s a clumsy one. But, I just wanted to say thanks for bringing him out.” Leorio said, “I had some stuff going on so I couldn’t leave as early as I wanted to.”</p><p>“That’s alright.” Kurapika said, “You don’t want him to worry.”</p><p>“He has a lot of faith in me. I don’t ever wanna stand him up. I have Mito and Zepile… but y’know, if I tell him I’ll be able to spend time with him today, I have to show up.”</p><p>“Sometimes there’s no making promises.” Kurapika reasoned. He’s getting side-eyes from the other women, but he casually ignored it. “Oh, thank you. For the hand sanitizer. Now I know why Gon has so many.”</p><p>“Wait. Let me guess.” Leorio said knowingly, “Don’t tell me he’s been giving his stuff out to the other kids for charity.”</p><p>“I was <em>just </em>going to ask you about that.” Kurapika gave a bashful smile at his exasperation.</p><p>“<em>Oh Jesus</em>— no wonder why he hasn’t been asking me for more. He’s been saying he had just about enough whenever I ask.”</p><p>“He cares a lot about his classmates.”</p><p>“But he just can’t give ‘em all his school supplies.” Leorio scratched his head, “anyways, I’ll talk to him about that. Make sure he’s not dealing anymore of his froggie pencils. I spent a fortune on those supplies. He can’t be giving that away.”</p><p>“I’ll be sure about it.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Dad!” Gon’s waiting by the car now, standing on top of the trunk. “Can we get ice cream today?!”</p><p>“I told you not to stand on the trunk— he’s gonna be the death of me.” Leorio shook his head, “have a good day, Mr. Kurta.” he smiled. And Kurapika thought Gon’s smile was brighter than the sun, he could see who he took after.</p><p>“Take care!” Kurapika waved at Gon.</p><p>Gotoh’s car pulled up momentarily. Kalluto, Alluka, Nanika, and Canary were dismissed, oddly enough, Killua was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>Gon said Killua had to leave early.</p><p>Maybe it was something urgent.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“So anyone got any updates on Mr. Hot Dad?” Shalnark asked. Kurapika nursed a mug of hot chocolate, choosing not to answer that question. Leorio became a darling of the PTA committee, gaining his own little fans of parents that admire him and classmates that <em>love </em>his kid. He’s practically famous.</p><p>It’s almost been a month since Gon began attending.</p><p>“I heard he’s sponsoring for our school.” Machi said, “and God we do desperately need funds for the shit we got here, literally.”</p><p>“Where’d you hear that?” Shalnark asked.</p><p>“Faculty.” Pakunoda said. She and Machi high-fived.</p><p>“There was a giant truck outside the other day.” Basho explained, “y’know, for the food drive?”</p><p>Kurapika’s eyes broadened, “you mean it wasn’t the <em>school </em>that requested the <em>truck</em>?”</p><p>“Nope. A donation from one of the parents. At least that’s what I heard from Palm.”</p><p>“Holy fuck.” Machi said, “well <em>fuck me</em> I’m pretty sure this dude must be some kinda philanthropist.”</p><p>“Netero’s been reaching out to anyone who can make reasonable donations,” Melody stated, “to make up for the schoolwide debts, the PTA asked if parents could volunteer.”</p><p>“Yeah, like maybe buying a few <em>notebooks </em>for the school.” Machi said, “<em>not a fucking truck</em>.”</p><p>“Sounds like a <em>real </em>panty-dropping trait.” Shalnark smirked. They all looked at him, “Philanthropy's pretty sexy!”</p><p>“You’re lucky Uvo’s not here to hear that.” Pakunoda said, brow raised. They started cracking their shit up when Shalnark spluttered.</p><p>“I’m hoping that there’s coffee left,” Everyone’s favorite art teacher jogged into the room, and it fell silent, therefore, Kite knew the answer to that question. “There’s no coffee left in the machine is there?” he lamented.</p><p>“The coffee is shit.” Machi said, “how can any of you drink that?”</p><p>“Why do you think I bring my own?” Kurapika asked flatly.</p><p>“Same.” Pakunoda lifted a hot frappe from Starbucks.</p><p>“I have a monster!” Shalnark said, “it’s in the fridge if you want it. Machi got me an iced latte.”</p><p>“—You know I don’t think you should—” Kurapika didn’t bother to finish, Kite opened the fridge and cracked open the can of Monster.</p><p>“Thanks, you’re the best.” Kite saluted the room, “we gotta make do somehow. See ya. If I don't come back here expect me to be dead.”</p><p>"Man I love that guy." Machi said.</p><p>"He's a delight." Kurapika agreed.</p><p>Lounge time was over once they had to get back to work. Pairo walked in last minute, while Kurapika sat there finishing the rest of his hot chocolate because the lounge was on the same floor of his classroom, and was only a few feet away from a walk.</p><p>“I heard Mr. Philanthropist sent in food trucks.”</p><p>“Good for him.” Kurapika stood up, lifting his messenger bag.</p><p>“We’ve never had a <em>regular</em> sponsor at Yorknew. At least, not one who makes donations that big.”</p><p>“You think he’s a billionaire too?”</p><p>“Could be someone secretly famous.” Pairo nudged Kurapika on their way out, “huh, what do you think?”</p><p>“Pairo, I don’t even have the slightest idea if he’s <em>not married</em>. Also, I’m not that desperate for a hundred Jenny to find out.”</p><p>“You talk to him like every other day.”</p><p>“It’s just to give him updates on how Gon’s doing in school.”</p><p>“I dunno, I’d keep a close eye on someone who’s got enough money to make consistent donations.” Pairo separated with Kurapika before he gave into the urge of strangling him.</p><p>Leorio’s been making quite the few donations as of recently.</p><p>They had cupcakes in the teacher’s lounge. Donuts. Snacks. Stuff that normally they’d buy on a dragging Monday morning, with good coffee, to get through the hellish week. They have a system where staff can inquire through anonymous tips on <em>minor improvements </em>that could be made regarding the school. Machi joked that they should replace their shitty coffee with a better machine and <em>better coffee</em>. Shalnark sent in the tip, and the next morning they walked into the lounge to find a new coffee maker and <em>far more </em>luxurious coffee Kurapika’s ever tasted.</p><p>The <em>mysterious LP </em>said to thank him with the note attached. This meant toning down on the energy drinks with plausible coffee. A new supply of books for the classrooms, materials to stock up on, and even instruments for the music teachers. By no means, were these <em>minor improvements</em>. Although no one’s said it outright, for once, the school needed the help of the parents. All they ever did was be a major pain in the ass but Leorio was doing <em>much more </em>than necessary.</p><p>Kurapika had admittedly been avoiding their hangouts at Knuckle’s out of fear of running into Leorio, unless they felt like going out for a hot pot. He’s been watching Gon and Killua closely and they’ve been behaving quite strangely, branching away from the other kids during recess to talk among themselves until it was time to round up and whispering during class time.</p><p>He understood that friends tended to do cryptic things like this and didn’t want to press on that matter. It was just when he called them out on their musings they’d scramble back to being on their best behavior.</p><p>He was the only person in the classroom after the kids had been dismissed when he heard a knock on the door, doing last minute work. Somehow, he ended up giving into the cravings of messily snacking on one of the cupcakes, Red Velvet, left in the teacher’s lounge while he did his work.</p><p>“Door’s open!” Kurapika answered. The door opened and he paid no mind to the icing smeared all over his mouth because he hadn’t eaten anything other than a beef roast sandwich at lunch, one that he shared with Melody.</p><p>There’s another knock on the doorway. “I hope it’s okay for me to drop in.” Kurapika almost dropped his cupcake at the sound of Leorio’s voice. “I got a visitor’s pass from the main office.”</p><p>He pushed his desk chair back, reaching for the box of napkins to wipe his mouth with. “Hello, that’s fine.” Kurapika beckoned for him to come in. “I’m just wondering… because Gon’s aunt picked him up during dismissal—”</p><p>“—yeah, I know, I know I’m way too late for that. I just ended a day shift. I wanted to come see you about something.”</p><p>Kurapika slowly rose from his chair. “...Alright.” he began to pack up his things, closing his laptop.</p><p>“Pairo told me you’d be in here doing work like a quote on quote, <em>boring person</em>, so turns out I wasn’t too late.” Leorio laughed.</p><p>“I’m going to fucking murder him.” Kurapika muttered under his breath, “well I was just leaving.”</p><p>“There’s a place not too far from here, if you don’t prefer us meeting here.” Leorio approached Kurapika while he pushed in his desk chair.</p><p>“Is this—” <em>well of course it’d be</em>, but it didn’t hurt to be <em>sure</em>, “is this to discuss matters related to Gon?”</p><p>“Well yeah, actually. I know we usually do this at school, but you’re about to leave.” Leorio explained, “it’s really urgent and it’s been naggin’ at me. I just wanna make sure it’s not just me or I’m going crazy or anything.”</p><p>“Of course, of course.” Kurapika nodded. He got himself dressed faster than usual, following Leorio out the building. The skies darkened after five, and it was one of those busier days.</p><p>His place of choosing was a coffee shop that opened until late.</p><p>“I hope there’s nothing concerning you’d like to discuss about.” Kurapika said, “as much as I’m open to conversation about Gon he seems to be doing <em>marvelous</em>, nothing bad enough for me to phone call home about—”</p><p>“—Kurapika—” Leorio huffed a laugh, “—Kurapika take it easy, <em>I know </em>Gon loves you. He would <em>not </em>stop talking to me about you once I got home from my shifts. <em>Oh they’re so nice and sweet, they gave me candy today for being a star student! I got to help them hang things up on the bulletin board! I sat on their lap for reading time!</em> If anything <em>I’m </em>the one who’s worried he’s giving <em>you </em>a hard time, but… like your friend said, you are pretty fantastic at your job.”</p><p>Kurapika sank down in his seat a little, laughing. “So Pairo talks to you about me.”</p><p>“Well he always manages to be there when I’m looking for you, miraculously.”</p><p>“He won’t be once I murder him.”</p><p>Leorio laughed at him, but Kurapika wasn’t joking, either. “I’m so sorry if he said anything embarrassing or <em>stupid</em>, the rivarly I have with another teacher is justifiable because he’s a <em>dickhead</em>.”</p><p>“That’s what it is.” Leorio said, smiling, “I was pretty sure this Mr. Lucilfer person was on your hitlist.”</p><p>“You’re not wrong.” Kurapika muttered.</p><p>“Getting to the point,” Leorio said, “I don’t mean to pull you out of school grounds for this.” he’d ordered them both hot lattes, “it’s on me, by the way.”</p><p>“It’s alright, I know he’s a special case given his situation.” Kurapika assented, “you were saying?” he brought his cup closer to him.</p><p>“I don’t know if it’s just me,” Leorio began, “but for the past two weeks Gon’s been acting weird.”</p><p>Kurapika’s adding more sugar to his latte, “Oh.” he said simply.</p><p>“You noticed it too, then.”</p><p>“...Like I said, not enough to be disruptive or anything.”</p><p>Leorio leaned in, “listen I’m… aware that I’m not home all that much when I’m working. He has to tell me on things I’ve missed out on. Sometimes I’m there to make us dinner once he’s dropped back at our place and we have Spongebob marathons, work on his homework, go get some ice cream, make sure he finishes his work and packs up his toys and all before he goes to bed. And then Killua came home with him one day, they spent the whole day playing together. He’s like, staying up after bedtime. Doing God knows what in his room. It’s been like that since the first time he’s come over.”</p><p>“Are they communicating while being apart from each other?” Kurapika asked, “once I’ve heard them mention something about walkie talkies.”</p><p>Leorio puffed his cheeks out, “well he does <em>have </em>one.”</p><p>“They’re five year olds. Surely there’s nothing sinister they could be plotting.” Kurapika said. “I notice them talking a lot more secretively than usual but I don’t know if that’s any help to take away from.”</p><p>“No. It doesn’t end there. Gon asks me to drop him off at the playground early in the morning.” Leorio drank some of his latte, “first it was like one or two mornings, now it’s every morning. He made sure to keep track of my next day shift. I also happen to find things from his room missing. Then, I found like, a sack of his stuff, just shoved in there.”</p><p>“Alright.” Kurapika folded his arms, “...maybe he’s disposing of things he no longer uses.”</p><p>“I think he’s still giving away his things to other kids.”</p><p>Kurapika looked upwards, pondering, “you think he’s starting a secret giveaway, but with his like, lego toys, like what drug dealers do?”</p><p>“Gon practically hoards all the stuff I’ve bought for him in his room.”</p><p>Kurapika leaned back in his chair.</p><p>“You think this sounds like a stretch.”</p><p>“<em>A tad bit</em>.”</p><p>“He could be doing this to make money.”</p><p>“As a father of your status I don’t think a side hustle for my kindergartener student is necessary.” Kurapika snorted, “it can’t possibly be that.”</p><p>“He’s been giving away his school supplies, it makes <em>sense</em>.”</p><p>“I’ve seen nothing of the sort in my classroom.”</p><p>“If I told anyone else about this they’re not gonna take me seriously.” Leorio said. “<em>Please </em>at least consider the possibility.”</p><p>“Mr. Paladiknight—”</p><p>“—Leorio—”</p><p>“—<em>It is too good </em>to be true.” Kurapika flat-out refused to believe this was the reason he called for this meeting, “I thought we’d be discussing any improvements or changes that need to be made about your son’s behavior and not if he’s selling legos to other children.”</p><p>“So you think I’m crazy.”</p><p>“How can you prove something so dastardly?”</p><p>Leorio stroked his chin. “Can I see your phone?”</p><p>Kurapika took it out and handed it to Leorio. He proceeded to put his number in and added it to Kurapika’s contacts, before handing it back over.</p><p>“For strictly professional purposes.” Leorio casually explained, “just observe a little more, and tell me if you see anything.”</p><p>“Mr. Paladiknight, this is ridiculous.”</p><p>“You won’t believe it until you find out yourself.”</p><p>Kurapika stared at Leorio’s contact. <em>You’re lucky you’re drop dead gorgeous. </em>He wanted to say, and at least he had the modesty to not jump the man from where he sat across the table. For some odd reason, Gon’s extremely handsome father kept finding ways to speak with him about things related to Gon and <em>not </em>at the same time.</p><p>This encounter was slightly different but still unusual.</p><p>Leorio dropped him home and offered him a fancy feathery pen as a souvenir. He said he had a lot of pens in his <em>office. </em></p><p>The pen was pretty, so Kurapika took it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They were working on a math assignment in class when Mr. Kurta announced their bathroom break. He gave them five minutes to leave their chairs in a neat fashion and line up quietly.</p><p>“Psst.” Killua whispered. Gon was talking with Pokkle and Zushi. Ponzu put a finger to her lips.</p><p>“Mr. Kurta said to be quiet!” she hissed.</p><p>“He won’t hear us if we whisper, idiot.” Killua grumbled.</p><p>“Well I’m not getting in trouble.” Pokkle said, leaving with Ponzu to line up by the door. Canary kept her lips sealed, following them. The kids progressively quieted down, as they knew their privileges would get revoked if they aggravated their teacher for the tenth time today.</p><p>“What is it?” Gon asked, making sure no one but Killua could hear him.</p><p>“We don’t have much time.” Killua said.</p><p>“Three minutes. Come on. Line up, and no speaking.” Mr. Kurta reminded them. “The longer we wait here the shorter the bathroom break will be.”</p><p>“I’ve been waiting since lunch!” One kid cried out.</p><p>“Everyone has to cooperate if everyone gets a chance to use the bathroom.”</p><p>“Wait ‘til we get to the hallway.” Killua told Gon.</p><p>“Okay!” Gon smiled. They left the classroom to line up by the bathroom. Anyone who needed to go were allowed in pairs to use the restrooms.</p><p>“I got a plan.” Killua said, hands up above his head. “I’m planning on running away to the playground.”</p><p>Gon blinked a couple times. “Like. Go to the playground today?”</p><p>“No, I kinda wanna live there.”</p><p>“Live on the playground.”</p><p>“Yeah. It’d be kinda cool, y’know? You get to wake up there everyday and play on it until it’s time for school.”</p><p>“Huh…” Gon pondered aloud.</p><p>“Shh.” Mr. Kurta chided. The two boys immediately went silent, smiling sheepishly as an apology.</p><p>“I thought you had a house.” Gon whispered, quieter.</p><p>“I do.” Killua shrugged, “but it sucks there.”</p><p>“Are you allowed to?”</p><p>“Probably. No one cares what we do.”</p><p>Gon didn’t think of any possible consequences related to that. “Well how can we do that?”</p><p>“Do what?”</p><p>“Help you live on the playground.”</p><p>Killua grinned wickedly, “maybe you can help me with a few things. You bring cool stuff to school anyway.” he raised his hand, telling Mr. Kurta that he needed to go to raise less suspicion.</p><p>“I can try.” Gon scratched his cheek. “I’ve never helped anyone run away before.”</p><p>“It’s not exactly running away. I’ll still go back home sometimes and stuff. But I know my way around here. I think this can work.” Killua said, “...maybe we can meet up at your house after school. I wanna see what we can find.”</p><p>Gon nodded.</p><p>This plan sounded like so much <em>fun.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter: gon and killua are currently hatching a plan to help killua move to the school playground, now kurapika must team up with gon's hot dad and get roped into this WILD adventure to come.</p><p>this fic now has a <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=4LQYqHMnT-iW0gHeAoXjQA">spotify playlist</a></b> which i MAY occasionally add to for your gay hallmark romcom needs, and i am also on <b><a href="https://twitter.com/danganphobia">twitter</a></b> &amp; <b><a href="https://danganphobias.tumblr.com">tumblr</a></b> &amp; <b><a href="https://curiouscat.qa/danganphobia">curiouscat</a></b>!! stay tuned. for this fucking, gay disaster.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. ICU in my dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the kids hatch a plan to help Killua move to the school playground, and he also unknowingly causes a cooties epidemic between him and his classmates. Starting with Leorio.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>new chapter. admittedly, i got too carried away focusing on the kids' pov for almost half the chapter. but you can't call this a kid fic without shenanigans involving them front and center. i watched that movie good boys two days ago and i literally think its awful but was VERY inspiring in these troubling times so a couple of revisions later, here we are.</p><p>ok there's a rating change for a scene involving sexual content just a heads up. starting at <em>"kurapika couldn't focus on his work."</em> and ends with <em>"his eyes flew open."</em>, just a warning for future scenes like this (wink wink.)</p><p>anyway let's get into this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s playtime hours.</p><p>Once all their assignments have been completed, Mr. Kurta allowed them freetime to do what they wanted. <em>But</em>— as long as they were treating it delicately like they did most of the day, such as doing so quietly enough that they don’t disturb the classes next door— the playtime period ran smoothly and wouldn’t be jeopardized.</p><p>Gon’s coloring a frog on a blank coloring worksheet. A stack of green crayons dumped over on their table. Killua was messing around with his yo-yo, eyeing the rest of their table hanging out on the carpet and playing with the toyhouses presented.</p><p>“You think we should tell them?” Killua asked.</p><p>“Do you have a darker shade of green?” Gon asked, “these are too light.”</p><p>Killua peered into the crayon bin, “I thought I gave you all the colors.” he huffed indignantly.</p><p>“Yeah but I don’t wanna mess up the drawing.” Gon protested. Killua rummaged through the crayon bin and found a couple more greens, and he pushed it Gon’s way.</p><p>“I feel like we wouldn’t be able to do it without help.” Killua said.</p><p>“I thought you said we should keep this between the two of us.” Gon blended the darker green shades to color the top part of the frog. He told Mr. Kurta he was making this for his dad. He hung up Gon’s creations on the wall of their loft because he liked to look at them and praise Gon for his talents. Besides, he liked when he got attention from his dad. He’s always so busy, so coming home to see a tired, but warm smile on his face when Gon showed a frog he made with raw mac and cheese pieces at school made Gon feel a little more content.</p><p>“Can the two of us pull this off alone?” Killua asked.</p><p>“Well…” Gon shrugged, “it’s up to you!”</p><p>“So I say, we should tell them.”</p><p>“Now?”</p><p>“No.” Killua said. “I think recess would be the best time.”</p><p>“What do you think of my frog?” Gon asked, showing Killua his paper.</p><p>Killua appeared disinterested, however, he saw the waiting look on his friend’s face. He leaned back in his chair, looked it over again, and sighed. “Looks cool.”</p><p>Gon beamed. “Thanks! My dad’s gonna love it.”</p><p>Something in Killua’s eyes flickered. “Hey, Gon.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“Your dad.” Killua’s gaze landed on their teacher, breaking up a fight over who got to play with the blocks first at the blocks station and calmly made them share it with each other or Mr. Kurta would put them on timeout. “You notice that Mr. Kurta and your dad talk like, a lot, right?”</p><p>“Hmm…” Gon hummed, “I mean they do.”</p><p>“You don’t think there’s anything weird about that?”</p><p>“Nope!” Gon took another bright green crayon, carefully scribbling away at his drawing. “Teachers talk to parents all the time.”</p><p>“They do, but <em>not </em>the way your dad does.”</p><p>“I don’t get it.” Gon blinked. “Is there something wrong?”</p><p>Killua was about to say something, but the fire alarm started blaring loudly in the middle of class. All the kids screamed as if they were about to be attacked by killer aliens.</p><p>“Excuse me!” Mr. Kurta shouted, “What did I say you should do as a class during fire drills?!”</p><p>“Leave your seats and line up quietly!” The class parroted back. Some of them were at the play stations, so they neatly put the stuff down. They didn’t have time to properly put all the items away because Mr. Kurta ordered them to line up.</p><p>“C’mon.” Killua said. He and Gon rushed over to the line and got into their proper positions, fortunately for them, Gon was chosen to be the line leader for the boys for this week, with Canary leading the girls line. (Killua complained it’s because she’s always a goody two shoes, and she said that it’s not her fault<em> some people</em> are such bad apples.)</p><p>Mr. Kurta waited until they were assembled before he flicked off the lights. He put a finger to his lips, opened the door, and walked out.</p><p>“Scary…” They heard Pokkle whisper from behind.</p><p>“Not a big deal.” Killua muttered, “they just pulled the stupid fire alarm.”</p><p>“Is there an actual fire?” Zushi asked.</p><p>“It’s a <em>drill</em>.”</p><p>“Drill for what?”</p><p>“Killer aliens.” Killua smirked. Pokkle and a few other kids bristled. Ponzu smacked Killua on the arm when Mr. Kurta’s back was turned. “Ow!” he hissed, “what was that for?!”</p><p>“Don’t be mean, Killua.”</p><p>“What, are you afraid of killer aliens too?”</p><p>“I-I’m not!” Ponzu denied, unconvincingly so.</p><p>“They’re not real.” Canary informed them. “They’re from another planet.”</p><p>“What, aliens?” Gon asked. Killua registered that he wasn’t even listening to most of the conversation because they just reached the nearest exit outdoors.</p><p>“They are so real.” Pokkle whispered. Mr. Kurta turned around once the doors were opened, other kids were being led out of the school as well. The fire alarm screeched so loudly that some of them had to cover their ears, a lot of commotion going on around them. They were the closest to the fire alarm residing on the very first floor of the school. They hushed themselves, not wanting their gossip to reach the ears of their teacher.</p><p>“Shh!” Zushi scolded them, “if we keep talking Mr. Kurta is going to take playtime away from us!”</p><p>“Relax.” Killua grimaced. Zushi was one of the stuck-ups that would tell them to stop if they were making funny faces during quiet time and making their classmates giggle.</p><p>They carefully descended the steps and merged with another class in front of them, waiting to cross the street and get to the next block. They didn’t walk very far from the building, just far enough that the noise from the fire alarm in the distance lessened.</p><p>Mr. Kurta met up with another teacher, currently rounding up his class at the sidewalk. They started talking quietly, but they were ordered to remain silent while the fire drill was still going.</p><p>It’s early October and getting a little chillier out.</p><p>“I know one.”</p><p>No one caught where the voice came from right away. They looked at each other. The muffled voice sniffed, and Gon’s eyes landed on a silver-haired girl with her hair in two pigtails, standing in the middle of the line.</p><p>Gon blinked.</p><p>“Really?” The responses were mixed, some of <em>confusion</em>, denial, and true belief. It wasn’t hard to figure out which type of response belonged to Gon.</p><p>“Yes.” Her eyes were kept shut. This was Komugi, one of the quieter students in the class. Though her blindness required assistance at times, she was able to navigate places on her own without as much supervision as expected.</p><p>“I don’t believe it.” Killua said.</p><p>“Is too.”</p><p>“Is not.”</p><p>A quick glance at their teacher told them that it was okay to keep talking.</p><p>“Where?” Gon questioned.</p><p>“Imaginary friend.” Komugi answered.</p><p>“Your… imaginary friend is…” Pokkle paled, “<em>an alien</em>?”</p><p>“He’s not an alien.” Komugi clarified gently, “his name is Meruem.”</p><p>“Wow,” Gon’s eyes sparkled, “that’s so cool! Can we meet him?!”</p><p>“It depends if he wants to.” Komugi sniffled again, reaching into her pocket so she could blow her nose into it. “He’s shy at making new friends.”</p><p>“Can we see him?” Ponzu asked. “Is he here with us?”</p><p>“Yes, actually!”</p><p>They looked around, eager to find something but they were puzzled that they didn’t spot Komugi’s imaginary friend anywhere. It’s just students and their teachers waiting outside.</p><p>“I don’t see anyone.” Killua answered.</p><p>“Me either.” Gon pouted. “I guess he is shy.”</p><p>“Sorry.” Komugi apologized. “He’s standing right beside me. I just can’t show him to you.”</p><p>“Why not?” Killua asked, irritably, “is it because he isn’t real?”</p><p>“He’s right here!”</p><p>“No talking.” Mr. Kurta intervened. They received the signal, and slowly the students filed back into the building class by class. The class was whispering among themselves about Komugi’s imaginary friend and she’d tell them about him— Gon listened in, however, Killua zoned in and out of that conversation. She claimed that he was friendly and not a killer alien at all, just super nice and caring.</p><p>There’s disappointment about not being able to see him, but quickly that was replaced with curiosity about how he looked like, if he was the same age as them, if he liked the same things they did.</p><p>Eventually Gon pestered Killua during lunch time that he wanted to tell them about their playground plan already. He offered Killua some of his lunch, as usual, because Killua only brought candy to lunch and not actual food. Much to Killua’s dismay, he’d pridefully disagree that chocolate was very much a satisfying lunch. It didn’t help that he ate just chocolate every day.</p><p>“Here you go giving kids your food again.” Killua said, flushing a little at the generosity. “You should keep it to yourself.”</p><p>“I want to.” Gon was offering half of his sandwich to Killua. “Aunt Mito got this for me at the store this morning.”</p><p>Killua accepted it. He always did. Gon would offer his juice box, but now he reminded his dad or his aunt to buy him two so he could give one to Killua, claiming that it was for later in the day if he got thirsty because they were allowed to have snacks in class.</p><p>“So can we tell them?”</p><p>“When we go outside.” Killua said. “...what other stuff you got in your lunch box?” he asked curiously.</p><p>“Apple slices.” Gon took out a small ziploc bag filled with apple slices, “Cookies. Doritos. Ring Dings. Carrots. But I don’t like eating those. We can share these too if you want.”</p><p>“Okay…”</p><p>They escorted them outdoors about fifteen minutes before their lunch period was over. They had to clean up after themselves first, the kids screaming with relish that they could spend their lunch period outdoors. Immediately, the students had scattered across the courtyard.</p><p>“Now it’s time.” Killua said. “Let’s gather everyone.”</p><p>Some days they’d get together to play games around the yard until it was time to round up back to their teachers and go back to class. The others had separated from Killua and Gon to do their own thing. In the middle of calling them over, Gon noticed one of the older kids were surrounding Komugi.</p><p>“Hey.” Gon said. “I think those guys are bothering Komugi.”</p><p>“What?” Killua asked.</p><p>“Over there.”</p><p>She appeared to be uncomfortable with their pestering.</p><p>“Gon, wait.” Killua tried to call after him, but Gon rushed over to them. “Jeez, is he an idiot?” Killua sighed.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Canary asked, catching up to them.</p><p>“I think that girl’s in trouble.” Killua clicked his tongue. They decided to follow Gon instead of waiting for the others, still playing with their classmates.</p><p>“Hey,” Gon asked Komugi, Killua and Canary glaring up at the older kids, “what’s wrong?”</p><p>“They’re being mean to me for talking to Meruem.” Komugi wiped at the tears prickling in her eyes. “They’re saying it’s <em>weird</em>.”</p><p>“That’s not very nice.” Gon scolded them.</p><p>“It is too weird.” One of the older kids pressed, “she’s always talking to herself during recess and when we ask why she gets all defensive and starts crying.”</p><p>“Maybe ‘cause it’s none of your business.” Killua shot back.</p><p>“They’re just kids.” A girl, a few years older than them told the other two boys, “c’mon, lt’s go.”</p><p>“It’s just a question.” The boy laughed.</p><p>“Xane.” The girl warned him. “Let’s <em>go</em>.”</p><p>“He doesn’t want to talk to you because you’re all mean.” Komugi said. Xane started laughing. Canary stood in front of her protectively with Gon, and Killua decided that this guy and his friends were buttheads. He kicked Xane in the shin, and he screamed in agony, holding his ankle and swearing loudly.</p><p>“He said a bad word!” Komugi exclaimed.</p><p>“What the Hell?!” Xane cried.</p><p>Killua’s fought older kids before. He could take them on, but Gon stopped him.</p><p>“You don’t wanna get in trouble.” Gon said.</p><p>“It’s not like anyone would care if I do.”</p><p>“It’s not worth it.”</p><p>“Hey!” It’s one of the teachers who were monitoring the kids during their recess time. “Break it up! Next time you go around bullying the other kids it’s another two week detention.”</p><p>“He hit me first!”</p><p>“Leave them alone and stop bothering them.”</p><p>“Are you alright?” Gon asked, once Xane and his friends were escorted away from them, likely the ones in trouble for picking on Komugi first. By then, the rest of their group huddled up near the entrance from where they exited through the cafeteria doors. Their stuff left on a large bench in the yard.</p><p>“What happened?” Ponzu asked.</p><p>“They were picking on her.” Gon explained. “Killua kicked Xane in the shin.”</p><p>“Ugh, I hate that guy.” Pokkle scowled, “he bullies everyone. I heard that they kidnapped a girl named Molly and they keep her in the bathroom."</p><p>Komugi gasped, "that's bad!"</p><p>"Should we help her?" Canary asked.</p><p>"Molly isn't a person. It's a drug, stupid." Killua said. "I see my parents take it all the time. My brother also buys it from people and sells it."</p><p>"What's a drug?" Gon asked. </p><p>"You use it to cure diseases." Zushi answered. </p><p>"Is it magic?" Ponzu asked.</p><p>"My dad makes me take a lot of them after we practice our karate lessons." Zushi explained. "They make me feel better when my arms and legs hurt."</p><p>“He’s been bullying Nanika and Alluka too,” Killua told them, “but once they told Kalluto, they actually scared him into not bullying them anymore.” he grinned, “so it’s not like they’d be bothering us anytime soon. He knows either me or Kalluto’s gonna beat him up.”</p><p>“Older kids are so mean.” Komugi mumbled. Ponzu sat next to her, offering her spare tissues she had in her own backpack, a backpack that had a paw print pattern on them.</p><p>“You can hang with us!” Gon said. “We’re all in the same class.”</p><p>“Really?” Komugi’s facial expression softened, enthralled, “and Meruem too?”</p><p>“He can play with us too!” Gon nodded happily. Komugi smiled.</p><p>“Thank you, Gon!”</p><p>“Killua said he wanted to talk to us about something.” Zushi averted the topic. “What was it about?”</p><p>Killua looked around. They all tensed up. “We should move somewhere where they won’t be suspicious.”</p><p>The back of the courtyard by the large wall dividing the back of the building and the playground, where a considerable amount of graffiti had been sprayed on it containing vile, explicit images, where a kid was rumored to have peed in the corner (where they made sure to stay far away from) was where they set camp for their discussion.</p><p>Killua explained the details to his plan.</p><p>“Mom and dad won’t like this.” Canary instantly refused.</p><p>“But have they ever liked <em>anything </em>I’ve ever done?”</p><p>Canary stayed silent, stiffening.</p><p>“How’s that gonna be possible?” Pokkle asked. “The playground isn’t even a house. It’s a playground.”</p><p>“And water is wet.” Killua deadpanned, “I’m doing it because it’s <em>cool</em>, obviously.”</p><p>“You could get in trouble.” Zushi said.</p><p>“Not without help.” Killua grinned. “I told Gon the other day.”</p><p>“What if <em>we </em>get in trouble?!” Zushi asked. The sound of the other kids screaming, running around, and chasing each other, drowned out the noise of their conversation by a long shot. "I can't get in trouble! My life will be over! Wing will never let me be the karate champion and make me not take the class anymore."</p><p>“Okay listen, I’ll make sure we won’t.” Killua said. “If I get to live there, then all of you can come over, too.”</p><p>“How?”</p><p>“...Just come early. Or convince your parents to stay after school. Imagine getting to play on the playground like <em>whenever you want</em>. How cool would that be?”</p><p>“Please guys, Killua needs your help.” Gon was already on board, “you too, Komugi.” the girl who just joined their group had been silent through their whole conversation. His enthusiasm startled her. “We’d also want you to help.”</p><p>“O-Okay… we can try.” Komugi said.</p><p>“I’m in.” Ponzu said.</p><p>“If she’s in, I am.” Pokkle agreed.</p><p>“Canary?” Gon asked.</p><p>“...We could really get into a lot of trouble.” Canary murmured, worrisome.</p><p>“Then we just have to make sure they don’t find out.” Killua answered.</p><p>“Someone has to make sure of that.” Canary said. “I should be that person.”</p><p>“I can’t.” Zushi refused.</p><p>“Chicken.” Killua teased.</p><p>“Is not!”</p><p>“<em>Bawkbawk</em>.”</p><p>“STOP!”</p><p>“Guys, guys!” Gon simmered them down, “we’re doing this to <em>help </em>each other. No fighting.”</p><p>“Anyone like candy?” Killua asked, all of them nodded. “I can ask Kalluto to get us like, tons of candy, since they’re allowed to walk to the store and do all that big kid stuff. Only if you help me out.”</p><p>“How do we do this?” Ponzu asked.</p><p>“Glad you asked.” Killua smiled. “...So that creepy janitor, Gon and I talked to him. He said he might be able to help us find some room in the closet, he’d give us the keys. Gon can grab some stuff from his place for me and we can keep it in the closet. Once we have enough, I can stay at the playground.”</p><p>“What do you need if you’re living somewhere else for a day?” Gon asked.</p><p>“A pillow.” Canary said.</p><p>Gon scratched his head, “...so not just toys.”</p><p>“You need a pillow to sleep on. Like how you use a pillow to sleep on your bed.”</p><p>“Oh! That’s true.”</p><p>“Toothbrush.” Pokkle added. “Like. To brush your teeth.”</p><p>“With what?”</p><p>“Toothpaste?” Ponzu answered, seemingly unsure.</p><p>“Bring legos too.” Pokkle advised. “So you don’t like, get bored. Have something to play with.”</p><p>“I have a walkie talkie.” Killua said, “in case I need to communicate.”</p><p>“I have one too!” Gon said, “a few spare ones if you guys also want any. We’re gonna need them anyway if we need to talk to each other when we’re not in the same place.”</p><p>“You have a lot of stuff, Gon.” Pokkle noted, “how much money does your dad have?”</p><p>“He has a lot of money.” Gon shrugged.</p><p>“How much?” Zushi asked.</p><p>“I don’t know. I just know that whenever I ask him to buy something he buys it. He buys a lot of stuff.”</p><p>“So you have walkie talkies for <em>everyone</em>?” Pokkle asked.</p><p>“...Pretty sure I do. I can check.”</p><p>“U-Um…” Komugi shyly stepped in, “...does that mean me and Meruem can play on the playground too…?”</p><p>“Sure.” Killua replied coolly, “it’s big enough for everybody. He has to help out too, or whatever he does.”</p><p>“He can help!” Komugi insisted.</p><p>“Okay then.” Killua put his hand in. “In order for this plan to be official we need a name for it.”</p><p>“Operation Pickled Pepper.” Gon said very seriously. There was a stretch of silence. “It has to be something really random that no one would understand but us.”</p><p>“That’s the dumbest name I ever heard.” Killua grimaced. Gon placed his hand on top of Killua’s anyway. “Whatever. I don’t got any other ideas. Does anyone else?” no one had one that would reasonably replace Gon’s own, deciding to go with it. They put their hands in and stacked them on top of each other.</p><p>“Operation Pickled Pepper,” Gon said, “here we go!”</p><p><em>“Yeah!” </em>They cheered simultaneously.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Gon gave them all their walkie talkies so they were able to communicate without raising suspicion. The plan commenced the day after.</p><p>Fortunately it got done much quicker now that Gon and Killua had extra hands. The only chance they had to bring things from each of their homes to their secret little closet only Hisoka had access to was after school, where they’d separately visit the closet and leave their belongings there.</p><p>With the spare key, Killua had the leverage of locking up the door when they weren’t using the closet. Through their walkies they’d talk to each other about their current progress, alert each other if any of the teachers were on the lookout for them, and play it as smoothly as possible.</p><p>“Hey Killua, over,” Gon spoke into the walkie one afternoon after school. Leorio was running late, so it was perfect for him to get into the closet and open up his backpack to dump in a few snacks he brought with him.</p><p>
  <em>“What? Over.”</em>
</p><p>“What did you wanna tell me in class that day? Over.”</p><p>
  <em>“Did you bring the snacks like I asked? Over.”</em>
</p><p>“I did!” Gon answered impatiently, “over.” he quickly added. “I wanna know what you said about my dad and Mr. Kurta.”</p><p>
  <em>“What’re you talking about? Over.”</em>
</p><p>“You said that they talk a lot.”</p><p>Killua didn’t respond.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>
  <em>“You’re supposed to say over, over.”</em>
</p><p>“Sorry, over.”</p><p>
  <em>“You realize that Mr. Kurta has a lot of your dad’s stuff. Like. He has the same exact things, over.”</em>
</p><p>Gon didn’t really think about that. “I just thought they like the same things, over.”</p><p>
  <em>“No, stupid, your dad’s clearly giving it to him. Over.”</em>
</p><p>“What? Over.”</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t you think it’s weird how they have the same pens and hand sanitizers when he never had them before? Over.”</em>
</p><p>“...Mr. Kurta said they were gifts, over.” Gon mumbled. “Probably from someone else too, over.”</p><p><em>“Gifts from your </em>dad, <em>over.”</em></p><p>Someone else joined their short-distance connection to each other. <em>“Abort, Miss Krueger is coming.” </em>Pokkle warned them.</p><p><em>“Gon, get outta there. Over.</em>” Killua ordered.</p><p>“Rodger!” Gon shut the door to the closet, and he bolted into one of the boys’ restrooms, hiding from anyone strolling past the halls.</p><p>Several minutes later, Pokkle returned to the line. <em>“She’s gone now, over.”</em></p><p>Gon sighed heavily. “Should I leave? Over."</p><p><em>“Stay in there for a few minutes.” </em>Killua forgot as well, <em>"oh, crap. Over."</em></p><p>“...Do I have to? Over?" Gon whined.</p><p>
  <em>“In case you wanna get caught again by Mr. Kurta. Over."</em>
</p><p>He had a point. Gon hid in one of the stalls for a bit. “Is there something wrong with my dad? Over.” he asked worriedly.</p><p>
  <em>“We don’t have time to talk about this when we’re in the middle of a plan. Zushi is stalling the teachers in the auditorium while Pokkle’s in the hallway. Ponzu, Canary, and Komugi are at the playground as we speak, over.”</em>
</p><p>“I know! But I wanna know why my dad’s giving Mr. Kurta gifts! Over.”</p><p>
  <em>“I can’t tell you, over.”</em>
</p><p>Gon pouted. “I thought we tell each other all our secrets, over.”</p><p>
  <em>“I’ll tell you another time, then. Just not right now, over. But it’s like, bad. Over."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Bad?!”</em>
</p><p><em>“We’re gonna meet up at the playground in five minutes, then we leave.”</em> Killua explained. <em>“Go back to the closet and start bringing the stuff. Make sure </em>no one <em>sees you.”</em></p><p>“Wait— Killua—” The connection went dead, static noises filtered their connection and no response was heard after that.</p><p>Gon had to find out.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Operation Pickled Pepper was completed successfully once Killua had set camp on the school’s playground.</p><p>Killua managed to convince Kalluto to take them to the store and buy them all candy, their treat, and have Gotoh drop them off at their homes.</p><p>Gon promised that every chance he got he would visit Killua in the mornings and drop off more snacks, and their fellow classmates would do the same.</p><p>In return, Killua owed Gon an extra favor. It meant telling Gon why Mr. Kurta and his dad talking to each other was so bad.</p><p>“You can’t tell anyone about this either.”</p><p>“I won’t. My lips are sealed.”</p><p>“It’s super super bad. I mean it. Like. Only the older kids have it. Since they like, hold hands and stuff.”</p><p>Gon nodded furiously. “I wanna know I wanna know!”</p><p>Killua asked Gon if he ever heard of <em>cooties</em>.</p><p>“It’s like, a really bad disease.” Killua explained. “I really hate to tell this to you. And I also didn’t want to. But I knew since I said it you wouldn’t stop asking, now I have no choice.”</p><p>Gon looked <em>crushed</em>, “What?!”</p><p>“Yeah…” Killua murmured sadly.</p><p>“My dad gave <em>cooties</em> to Mr. Kurta?”</p><p>Unfortunately Gon forgot how to talk at a normal volume, and the other kids had overheard him.</p><p>Thus, Killua indirectly caused a widespread cooties panic between the children of their grade.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ponzu suggested that they hold a funeral for the infected children. Gon said that he thought funerals were only for dead people, because he said that his dad held a funeral for his dead mother.</p><p>"You can hold a funeral while still being alive too." Pokkle argued.</p><p>"How do you do that?" Komugi asked.</p><p>"I think. It's like. Saying goodbye to yourself." Ponzu explained.</p><p>"How long does it take for cooties to kill someone?" Killua asked Canary.</p><p>"I don't know if I know the answer to that question."</p><p>"Kalluto said a week."</p><p>"It probably spread to your siblings." They're back at the playground, Killua's current home for the next few days, mourning the loss of... themselves, within the upcoming week. </p><p>"But we don't have any Simpsons!" Gon said. "How would we know if we're sick without the Simpsons?!"</p><p>"Symptoms." Canary corrected him.</p><p>"A Simp Ton?"</p><p>"Symptoms."</p><p>"Sip tum?" Pokkle questioned.</p><p>"<em>Symptom." </em>Canary repeated slowly. "You feel symptoms when you're sick."</p><p>"Maybe it silently kills you from the inside." Killua replied.</p><p>"I can't die in a week!" Zushi ruffled his hair in frustration, "I need to learn how to pay taxes!"</p><p>"You only pay taxes if you're eighty years old." Killua said, "that's what my dad told me."</p><p>"Then I want to kiss a girl before I die."</p><p>"<em>Alluka</em>," Pokkle coughed quickly under his breath. Zushi's face flushed a deep red. </p><p>"I-It's <em>not</em> Alluka!"</p><p>"She's a year younger than us." Killua said. He sighed. "A shame. You probably won't get to kiss her because it'll be too late... I mean, you didn't even tell her you had a crush on her."</p><p>"Zushi has a crush on your sister?" Ponzu asked.</p><p>"Who's gonna pay for our car insurance?" Gon changed the subject, wondering aloud, "we can't do that if we're dead."</p><p>"I don't think you have that." Killua answered. "And you don't drive a car."</p><p>"My dad can't die, he's gonna get really depressed and he's already really depressed because mom is gone." Gon explained. </p><p>"He started this because he likes Mr. Kurta, and he's trying to infect him." Killua said. </p><p>"How do we save everyone then?" Komugi asked, "Meruem asks how can we stop the disease from spreading."</p><p>"Drink hand sanitizer." Gon advised.</p><p>"No, that's nasty. Also it'll make you really sick." Killua refused. "We just have to fight the disease."</p><p>"How?" Komugi asked.</p><p>"...We fight each other." Killua said. "Maybe if we stop ourselves from dying we will be saved from the cooties. We should also save our teacher from Gon's dad. He's the one responsible for this."</p><p>"Why do my dad and Mr. Kurta hold hands anyway?"</p><p>"Parents do that when they like each other." Killua pointed at Gon's bag, "you got anymore candy? I'm running out."</p><p>Gon wondered if Mr. Kurta had been feeling any symptoms since the whole panic began between their peers. Maybe, if they tried hard enough, they could end the cooties spread once and for all. And his dad will be okay again!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Don't worry, dad." Gon told him determinedly when he picked him up later that day, "I'll save you."</p><p>"From my long hour shifts? Please do." His dad grinned, chuckling. He planted a kiss on the top of Gon's head. Gon pouted up at him.</p><p>"I'm serious!"</p><p>"I know you are, lil frog. Uncle Zepile and Pete are coming with us to get some food, okay?"</p><p>"Dad?"</p><p>"What's up?" Leorio buckled Gon's seatbelt for him, about to shut the door so he could go to the driver's seat. </p><p>"You're a doctor, right?"</p><p>"Mhm."</p><p>"You save people's lives and stuff. So you have magic powers to make them feel better."</p><p>Leorio stalled on that response, his gaze averted downward. Lips pursed. He chuckled quietly. Gon felt like he looked a little sad to hear him say that. "Sometimes our magic powers don't work, kiddo."</p><p>"That's not true." Gon perked up, "you can save anyone."</p><p>"Unfortunately, I'm not that powerful."</p><p>"Hmm..." Gon's face deflated, "you'd use magic on me if I ever got sick, right?"</p><p>"Of course. I remember that one fever you had when you were three, it was such a scare, and it was just me to take care of you. But you got better in a week." Leorio winked, "I didn't say that my powers aren't <em>good</em>."</p><p>Gon's face lit up again, "so you can cure everything in the world if you tried <em>really really </em>hard."</p><p>"Maybe I could." Leorio smiled, "...just, maybe..." his smile waned, "and we would've been able to bring mom back."</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>"Keep your seatbelt strapped nice and tightly." Leorio reached over and ruffled Gon's head.</p><p>"Do you like holding hands with Mr. Kurta?" Gon asked. "Do you hold hands with them the way you held hands with mom?"</p><p>"You weren't around when I was with your mom, lil frog." Leorio laughed, his cheeks reddening slightly, "we're just friends. They only talk to me about you, is all. We don't talk to hold hands."</p><p>Gon appeared unconvinced. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"What's goin' on, what made you ask this all of a sudden?"</p><p>"I just noticed that you guys talk a lot."</p><p>Leorio's phone rang before he could respond. He shut the door instead. Gon looked out the window, watching his dad walk around the car and open the front door to the driver's seat. "Hey, Pete. I'm comin' back to the hospital, hold your horses. I told you I gotta pick up Gon.... is Zepile there...?" he clicked his tongue, "he's rushing me to get him when he didn't even finish with his client yet at the studio... yeah we can just grab him after I come to your office... yeah, yeah, gimme half an hour... not the gang member again showin' up again. With the missing arm? Jesus fucking Christ. Tell him I died... well my shift just ended! I can't see him today!"</p><p>Gon's walkie went off. He reached into his backpack and pulled it out.</p><p>"Hello?" he whispered. His dad's busy talking into the phone to tune into Gon's conversation.</p><p><em>"Come back to the playground tomorrow morning." </em>Killua whispered. Gon turned around, and he saw Killua's figure standing a few feet away from the car, across the street. Gon smiled, giving him a thumbs up. </p><p>"Do you want me to bring chocolate robots?"</p><p>
  <em>"You bet."</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika couldn’t focus on his work. Maybe it was the caffeine that kicked in his system. He squinted at the presentation he was working on for the next day’s lesson, shutting his eyes to pinch the bridge of his nose.</p><p>There’s a knock on the door, then the knob turned, the creaking noise echoed in his ears, he shut his work laptop.</p><p>“Must be such a hard day, hm?”</p><p>Kurapika gasped, whirling in his chair and standing up. “Mr. Paladiknight—” his heart pounded heavy in his chest, “I didn’t expect to see you here.”</p><p>Hands shoved in the pockets of his slacks, he approached Kurapika, the intensity in his eyes daunting. “Neither did I but I… just couldn’t… stop thinking about you.”</p><p>Standing only a few inches from his desk, Kurapika found himself being backed up against the front of it. The desk jolted slightly. “I had to leave work as soon as I can.”</p><p>“What about Gon?” Kurapika asked, once he found his words.</p><p>“Don’t worry about him.” Leorio closed the space between them slowly, tugging him close with a hand at the small of his back. Their lips touched and now that the classroom door was shut Kurapika was ready to risk it all, neither of them waited at the first press of their bodies against each other. Hurriedly, Kurapika undid the buttons on Leorio’s shirt and he felt himself being lifted up against the desk.</p><p>“You should’ve locked the door on your way in.” Kurapika whispered against his lips, sealed between heated kisses, messy and frenetic.</p><p>“We both know you wouldn’t have cared about any locks.” Leorio rasped knowingly, tugging Kurapika’s pants off. Everything on the desk rattled with each jerk against it, some things knocked right off, lips were heavy on Kurapika’s neck and he tossed his head back, spreading his legs wider. He moaned with such relief when Leorio took him, lifting his head to look Kurapika in the eyes, redness overtaking them.</p><p>The desk shook even more with each thrust so mind-numbing that Kurapika became light-headed, his nails dragged across the fabric of Leorio’s arms and up his back. Leorio’s breath fanned against his lips. He’s chanting a mantra in his own native language mixed in with English, though Kurapika wasn’t keeping track between either anymore and what was <em>what</em>. He just wanted to chase this high continuously feeling a pulsating <em>warmth </em>stretching him out in all the right places and—</p><p>There was a knock on the door.</p><p>“Pika? I’m coming in.”</p><p>Kurapika’s back in his bed. His eyes flew open, withdrawing the toy between his thighs and he chucked it across the room so fast when Pairo opened the door he missed the blur completely— only hearing a loud <em>thud </em>once it wedged itself between the shelf and the wall.</p><p>He shot up in his bed, a sweating mess.</p><p>“Hey.” He greeted Pairo the moment he entered his bedroom, breathless. Toodles peeked her head into the bedroom beside Pairo. She barked loudly, because she liked announcing her presence and feeling important the second she woke up.</p><p>“Hey.” Pairo frowned, already dressed. “You know we have a meeting today, right?”</p><p>Kurapika had forgotten about that entirely. “Fuck.” he ruffled his hair back, mussed in different directions from writhing in his sheets for a full hour. He thought he’d have time to spare before getting ready, wanting to indulge in stalling <em>a little bit </em>in his fantasies.</p><p>The faint buzzing noise, however, didn’t stop.</p><p>“What’s that?” Pairo’s holding two cups of coffee in his hands. He usually did that when they had Monday meetings.</p><p>“Um.” Kurapika froze, “that. I think. That might be my phone.” he lied. “I might’ve dropped it or something.”</p><p>“Well I could put this down and look for you. Machi’s on her way, by the way, I convinced her to drop us off.”</p><p>“Great.” Kurapika crawled out of bed and scouted for the source of the fucking <em>buzzing</em>. Something red peeked out from behind his shelf. There you are, you damn <em>bastard</em>.</p><p>He figured it should take Pairo a while to leave their coffee on the kitchen table, but he ended up coming back quicker than expected. Kurapika’s first instinct, in a state of panic, was to throw the toy <em>out the window</em>.</p><p>His apartment was four floors up from the first.</p><p>Kurapika flashed a smile at Pairo when he came back. The buzzing noise vanished. He pulled his phone from his bedside, waving it. “Found it.” he said calmly.</p><p>“You’re not one to sleep in usually.”</p><p>“I had to grade assessments last night.”</p><p>Pairo nodded. “Well I got you your soy latte.”</p><p><em>“Hey!” </em>Today must hate him dearly, because the voice had come from outside the apartment window and down below. The two men freeze. “Watch where you throw your fucking <em>dildos</em>!”</p><p>Kurapika peered out his window, and so did Pairo.</p><p>It didn’t take Pairo more than two seconds to figure out what was going on. He choked on air a moment after, Kurapika’s cheeks flared up with embarrassment.</p><p><em>“Did you</em>—?” Pairo wheezed, “—did you throw your— <em>your</em>—”</p><p>“We are not speaking of this.” Kurapika threatened.</p><p>“<em>But it hit somebody!” </em></p><p>“I’m well aware of that!” Kurapika shouted.</p><p>“Are you gonna go get it?” Pairo asked sincerely. He couldn’t keep a straight-face after that, breaking into another fit of giggles.</p><p>“I have to go get ready.” Kurapika walked away, practically retreating to the bathroom. Toodles followed him. "No, you can't shower with me. Go tell Pairo to feed you breakfast until I come out. I have to <em>work</em>." she whined in protest as Kurapika lifted her in his arms and set her outside before shutting the door, shoving his toothbrush into his mouth and running the faucet. Fuck. He'd die before getting that sex toy back so that meant another trip to the website he got it from on an Incognito tab because if someone found it in his search history he'd have to move back to Lukso. He freshened up within another half hour, and by the time he left the bathroom, got dressed in his room, Machi arrived. They were having their own conversation when Pairo decided it was a good idea to blurt out Kurapika was getting off when he walked in. He ran at Pairo and grabbed his ears, twisting it.</p><p>“Ow ow ow okay— <em>okay</em>— Pika I’m sorry!”</p><p>“Everytime you torment me in front of others I’m limiting the number of days you get to live.” Kurapika let go, showing the little ounce of mercy that he had.</p><p>“Holy fuck—” Machi cackled, “dude it’s like— <em>seven </em>in the morning.”</p><p>“<em>Shut up.” </em>Kurapika jeered.</p><p>“Who was it about? Was it about LP?”</p><p>“Machi.”</p><p>“Okay, okay.” Machi raised her hands in surrender. She had her own cup of iced coffee she was nursing set on the kitchen table next to her car keys.</p><p>Kurapika shucked on his jacket, scarf wrapped around his shoulders, the heels of his boots (his closet consisted of mainly wedges and heels for the sole purpose of boosting an inch in his dastardly height) angrily clicked against the floor as he took his coffee from the table and sped for the door without waiting for them.</p><p>“You’re not gonna get the vibrator back—”</p><p>Kurapika flipped them off. “If you don’t get out of my house now I’m locking the door and driving there myself.”</p><p>“You don’t even have the keys, dipshit!” Machi shouted, she and Pairo chased after him.</p><p>“You’re underestimating the abilities I have.” Kurapika said airily.</p><p>"Was it." Machi snickered. "Okay you have to tell me it was from Bad Dragon."</p><p>"Imagine waking up for your daily commute to work or something and you just, get hit in the head with a giant dildo seemingly from nowhere."</p><p>"Even worse, it hits your car."</p><p>"Can it kill someone from this height?"</p><p>"I think I'll take the subway." Kurapika jeered, "I can't believe my friends are like, five. <em>I'm an adult!</em>"</p><p>"Please please please come with us! We're just joking, Pika. No one can actually die from a dildo being dropped on their head." Pairo begged, but he's laughing like a <em>motherfucker</em> and didn't feel sorry at all.</p><p>"I think so." Machi snorted, "I mean it's possible."</p><p>"Unlikely." Kurapika muttered.</p><p>Machi didn’t mention that Pakunoda would be waiting in the car. But he remembered that these two were a two-package deal. Hitching a ride had its perks, meaning he didn’t have to worry about leaving the house on time to catch the train. "Trust me if you took the train anyway you'd miss like half the meeting so, don't even bother." she smirked.</p><p>She was right. Then there was also uncomfortably third-wheeling with Pairo who had no qualms wedging himself in there the entire ride. Kurapika sipped more of his coffee and texted Melody if she was there yet.</p><p><strong>Melody [7:01 A.M]: </strong>I’ve been the first one here for the past fifteen minutes. :)</p><p>Thank God she’s an early bird.</p><p>“And so she shows me who she’s swiping past on Tinder, it’s like, the middle of the day. I have to pick up copies from her office.” Pakunoda, amidst explaining an experience with Bisky, one of the faculty members, “She just asks me if this guy’s alright.”</p><p>“It’s never too late. eh?” Pairo nudged Kurapika in the arm.</p><p>“So uh, what’d you say?” Machi asked, strangely quiet but focused on the road ahead. It looked like they’d be reaching the school building earlier than they thought.</p><p>“He looked like a thumb, but maybe that’s just my opinion because I’m as straight as wet fucking spaghetti, so I said hey sure go for it.” Pakunoda smirked through the front view mirror, Machi’s gaze averted quickly.</p><p>“I would probably agree with you.” She laughed quietly.</p><p>“She’s always using dating apps in her office when I show up to make copies,” Pairo explained, “one other time, though, I think she was writing erotic fanfiction.”</p><p>“Ugh.” Kurapika grimaced, “you’re joking. I had to use her computer once to find a few files I saved on there.”</p><p>“One of them’s probably got a super secret juicy folder you don’t know about.”</p><p>“I do remember one of them being password protected.”</p><p>“That’s definitely the porno stash.” Pakunoda said. Machi snickered. “If you’re doing any of that ballsy shit on a school computer, you might as well have it protected.”</p><p>“Think we can find the password to that?” Machi asked, “Shalnark can crack it in like, five minutes tops.”</p><p>“I can text him about it.” Pairo volunteered.</p><p>“Let’s wait until after the meeting, though.”</p><p>There’s a reason why they stocked up on the caffeine intake on Mondays of staff meetings. Education was a valuable field where its existing resources mattered regarding the well-being of students and what changes could be made to improve their performance, involving improvements of schoolwide extracurricular activities, programs, fundraisers, sponsors, and events. Resources were limited, but ideas of discussion were limitless.</p><p>They were also <em>terribly fucking boring </em>and even the magic a single large cup of coffee could do couldn’t keep Kurapika consistently focused during this. Melody and Basho were the first ones there when Kurapika, Pairo, Machi, and Pakunoda showed up. There were donuts, at least, and by the time everyone else came it would be nearly finished.</p><p>“Sorry, sorry,” Shalnark waddled in with a cup of iced coffee like ten minutes late, when the conference table’s been partially filled up and the lights turned off.</p><p>“You’re fine!” Bisky flashed a patient smile, which had <em>you’re fucking late </em>written all over it.</p><p>“Traffic rush, y’know?”</p><p>“There’s plenty of snacks to replenish.” Cheadle offered.</p><p>“Morning.” Phinks ducked his head in with Uvogin, everyone said good morning as well.</p><p>Knov, Bisky, Morel, Netero, and Cheadle sit at the table with the rest of Yorknew’s staff of teachers in one of the conference rooms, Knov breezing through a slideshow that Kurapika admittedly only paid attention to for a good fifteen minutes. Although, it kept getting disrupted when more of them showed up several minutes after each other. Feitan just slipped in without greeting anyone whatsoever and sat at the only chair in the corner.</p><p>Kurapika noticed Melody was playing a music game on her phone under the table, her planner open on top of it to make it seem like she was taking notes. Kurapika tried to take as many notes as he <em>could</em> but it was hard when he barely paid attention, phasing in and out every couple of minutes. He heard her swear softly under her breath when she messed up a combo, and he tried his best not to snort aloud. Basho’s writing poems in his notebook. Nobody would suspect if he’s actually tuning in because they think he’s already notetaking and observing the highlights of the meeting.</p><p>He received a text in the middle of it.</p><p>Kurapika frowned, wondering if it was just Pairo being silly and texting him during their staff meeting. He saw the name <em>LP </em>flashed on his phone screen.</p><p>Ah.</p><p>Cheeky <em>bastard.</em></p><p><strong>LP [7:34 A.M]: </strong>I was packing Gon’s lunch for him and he told me to bend down so he could feel my forehead.</p><p><strong>LP [7:35 A.M]: </strong>And so, I ask why, y’know, like a concerned father that I am.</p><p><strong>LP [7:35 A.M]: </strong>he says “oh i just wanna make sure you’re not dying yet dad”</p><p><strong>LP [7:35 A.M]: </strong>????? I’M ONLY THIRTY FOUR</p><p>Kurapika bit his lip to hide a smile, Knov’s voice droned on. The slide transitioned into the next one.</p><p>Normally, he wouldn’t text during meetings, but…</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:36 A.M]: </strong>Are you sick?</p><p><strong>LP [7:37 A.M]: </strong>No. I’m perfectly healthy.</p><p><strong>LP [7:38 A.M]: </strong>When I asked what made him ask that he says “no reason.” and continues eating his breakfast</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:38 A.M]: </strong>Hmm. Well that is strange.</p><p><strong>LP [7:39 A.M]: </strong>You’re not teachin a class rn are u?</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:40 A.M]: </strong>Just sitting through a lovely meeting about student wellness. :)</p><p><strong>LP [7:41 A.M]: </strong>oof, been through those. how’s that going?</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:42 A.M]: </strong>I’d like to chew on glass.</p><p><strong>LP [7:43 A.M]: </strong>I think my son loves you too much to kill yourself over a boring meeting.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:43 A.M]: </strong>He doesn’t love me THAT much.</p><p><strong>LP [7:44 A.M]: </strong>He does!!!</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:44 A.M]: </strong>Does not.</p><p><strong>LP [7:45 A.M]: </strong>anyway he’s finished eating, so i gtg drop this lil fireball off. :)</p><p><strong>LP [7:45 A.M]: </strong>Good luck with the rest of your meeting, Sunshine. See you at school. ;)</p><p>“Sunshine?” Kurapika mouthed to no one in particular. He got another text before he could turn his phone off.</p><p><strong>Machi [7:45 A.M]: </strong>lol i see u bitch</p><p>Machi winked at him from across her seat. Kurapika turned his phone off and averted his gaze, hiding his embarrassment by shifting in his seat, sitting up. Pairo’s mouthing something to him, something along the lines of <em>get it</em>. Kurapika ignored him too.</p><p>The last fifteen minutes felt like decades.</p><p>Phinks was fast asleep, head tossed back on the chair. It was only a matter of time before Bisky rolled up the magazine she was shamelessly reading and smacked him over the head with it. Machi was blatantly texting under her seat. Every now and then Pakunoda whispered something in her ear and they’d both smile. Pairo and Shalnark were gossiping about God knows what, Nobunaga yawned quite loudly and apologized when Knov shot him a peeved glance.</p><p>Shizuku passed a coffee cup out of generosity, “for Feitan,” she mouthed, pointing at him, silently brooding in the room that it was in fact <em>loud.</em> But his bitch energy was just like that. It’s a good thing she suggested it, or else, no one else would’ve <em>remembered</em> he was in the room. Since he was so far across the room the nearest person sitting next to him was Nobunaga who passed it back to Feitan lastly. He took it begrudgingly. Knov started to grow frustrated because the meeting kept on being interrupted by the tardy comers. It was entertaining to watch, so entertaining that some of them let out a few snickers, and a hard glare from Bisky shut them up real quick. Kurapika saved a donut and a coffee for Kite when he walked in last and Knov visibly seethed.</p><p>“Morning!” Morel had zero awareness of the situation at all.</p><p>“Damn, I thought the meeting had ended already.” Kite said, sitting down at the free seat next to Kurapika.</p><p>“I wish.” Nobunaga mumbled under his breath.</p><p>Kurapika handed him his donut and coffee, “we haven’t finished going over code of conduct and thirty minutes passed already.”</p><p>“So I didn’t miss much?”</p><p>“Not quite.”</p><p>“Great.”</p><p>“Who’s genius idea was it that we have these right before first period?” Machi asked.</p><p>“Isn’t Franklin supposed to show up?” Shizuku questioned.</p><p>“He said he woke up late, so he’s going to just skip the whole meeting.” Phinks replied.</p><p>“Didn’t even bother.” Nobunaga snorted.</p><p>“Hey, Shal,” Pairo whispered, “Paku told us a little something about Miss Krueger you might be interested about.”</p><p>Shalnark, sipping his coffee, blinked in interest. “Oho?” he smirked.</p><p>“I would like everyone’s cooperation and individual attention, Knov is <em>speaking,</em>” Bisky said sharply, <em>“thank you</em>.”</p><p>Knov didn’t even get to finish his presentation when Cheadle thanked him for his service, indicating that it was her turn to debrief the next part of the meeting. Netero gave him a warm smile and gestured over to his seat. Knov didn’t look very happy, but he sat down anyway.</p><p>“Please, Miss Yorkshire,” he acknowledged.</p><p>“So, as you all know,” Cheadle began, “while there were a few topics Knov hadn’t glossed over I figured it’d be more important to discuss about the next PTA conference.”</p><p>Groans and gasps filtered the room like they’d been all told they were being let go.</p><p>“Yes!” Cheadle marveled, “isn’t that so exciting?! Our first PTA conference of the new school year!”</p><p>“No.” Feitan said from the back of the room. “<em>It isn’t.</em>”</p><p>No one said anything, although, they were all collectively sharing his sentiment and didn’t have the balls to say it out loud like he did.</p><p>“It’s certainly the time we keep the core focus of this time of year on evaluations, observations.” Netero stated, “we need to ensure that our students are on their best behavior so that their guardians are satisfied, and for those who consistently struggle, come up with an agenda to maintain balance of those we need to work with, develop proper discipline, for the sake of their guardians and for their own well-being.”</p><p>Bisky rolled up her magazine. Everyone braced themselves for what was to come once she stood up. “It’d also maintain good rep for Yorknew if we establish a good relationship with every student’s guardian, there have been <em>complaints </em>over the years that haven’t dwindled any less since we’ve formed our team.” she strolled behind Phinks, snoring away in his chair, and she swatted him over the head. Waking him up instantly. The table started snickering. Phinks grumbled to himself.</p><p>“Wakey wakey.” Shalnark teased. Phinks punched him in the arm.</p><p>“Alrighty, then, may I ask this?” Basho closed his book. “What the Hell are we gonna do about the Zoldycks? Y’know, given that none of their parents show up to a single one of those things.”</p><p>Bisky laughed, “I’d prefer questions more related to protocol and general strategy.”</p><p>“Their kids go here.” Basho pressed, “<em>a lot </em>of their kids go here, but we haven’t seen a single parent. Not an aunt, uncle, older brother, sister. I mean what’s up with that? Doesn’t anyone have the same issue with this?”</p><p>The Zoldyck family was a true mystery. They tended to gloss over issues regarding specific students for the sake of privacy, however, the Zoldycks, especially one of Kurapika’s own disastrous students, have gotten away from many consequences because of the fact that they <em>couldn’t </em>get their guardians involved.</p><p>Netero flashed a smile, “we’re working the best we can to cooperate with the guardians of the Zoldycks.”</p><p>Something told Kurapika that the faculty was just trying not to step on anyone’s toes lest a lawyer would get involved, or worse.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bisky testily asked if anyone had more questions. Diverting the topic to more general matters regarding the upcoming PTA conference.</p><p>The meeting ending just about five minutes after the first period actually began for everyone. Morel thanked them for their participation and they were dismissed, dispersing to their respective classes they had to teach, Netero wished them good luck because these coming weeks wouldn’t breeze by too easily.</p><p>“So Shal’s gonna hack into Bisky’s computer later if you wanna find out about the <em>stash</em>,” Pairo explained. Kurapika shook his head.</p><p>“I think I’ll be busy for that— tell me what happens— anyway, he came by after school last week.”</p><p>“Who? L.P?”</p><p>“Mr. Paladiknight,” Kurapika corrected firmly, “We went out to get a drink and he thinks that Gon’s got this kind of side-hustle going on.”</p><p>“Like drugs?”</p><p>“<em>No</em>, like, toys, pens, crayons, markers. Anything a five or six year old would give away in exchange for money, or something.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t put it past them. My kids have a pencil sharpening business because our sharpener keeps breaking when everyone uses it too much. Which isn’t my fault, they just keep breaking their pencils to the point where I have none to give them anymore.”</p><p>Kurapika processed that slower than he’d like to, “so this doesn’t sound alarming to you at all?”</p><p>“That’s not even the craziest thing <em>any </em>of our students did. Remember the werewolf kid?"</p><p>"God, which one?"</p><p>"From two years ago. Like. The OG werewolf kid before his successor."</p><p>"Of course I remember <em>the</em> werewolf kid. <em>Everyone </em>remembers the werewolf kid."</p><p>"I'm sure he's in fifth grade now regretting what he did for the rest of his life."</p><p>“I get your point! But still! He thinks Gon’s giving away his stuff for money, Pairo. As his teacher, I should be concerned, but I also think he might be paranoid."</p><p>"He's just being a <em>dad</em>, y'know? Hot dad things."</p><p>"He already gives kids his school supplies and I didn't have the heart to tell him he should stop doing that."</p><p>“And you have to pay one Jenny to Steve to get your pencil sharpened. What else happened?”</p><p>“...He gave me his phone number.”</p><p>“Okay, Pika! Breaking the rules!”</p><p>Kurapika nudged him, navigating through the crowding halls to head back down the staircase. Pairo taught in the classroom on the floor above, so they’d have to separate upon reaching the second floor.</p><p>“He said it’s only for professional purposes.”</p><p>“So are dick appointments.” Pairo quickly slunk through the open doors to the first floor, smiling at Kurapika, “I’m just making a valid statement!”</p><p>“He <em>just </em>wants to talk about Gon!” Pairo was already gone before Kurapika could finish his sentence. Dickhead.</p><p>So far, Leorio texted him once since he’s had his number, that being today. His number, just sitting there in his phone. His contact name on the list in bold letters, practically mocking him.</p><p>It’s not cheating.</p><p>It’s not cheating if they weren’t even going to text each other <em>consistently. </em></p><p>He’s guiding the kids into the classroom and bidding goodbye to their parents. He saw Leorio holding Gon’s hand as they walked through the entrance, and he seemed to be talking to him about something, but as soon as Gon spotted Killua in the swarm of children he let go of his dad’s hand.</p><p>“Wait, you forgot your—”</p><p>“Bye dad!” Gon dashed over to Killua and the two boys entered the classroom.</p><p>“Lunch.” Leorio said to Kurapika, the two of them watched the boys bounce across the classroom for their tables. They laughed.</p><p>“I’ll just… take this,” Kurapika didn’t want to just snatch the lunch box, but Leorio seemed to catch on, and he handed Kurapika Gon’s lunch box.</p><p>“He’s so excited to leave that he doesn’t even want me to walk him into class anymore.” Leorio said, “he’s like <em>nooooo dad </em>just stay in the car!”</p><p>“Has the separation anxiety worn off?”</p><p>“Y’know, I think it has. Big time.” Leorio mourned. “I kinda miss it when he’d cling to me before I dropped him off to preschool. Before he wouldn’t even budge and the teacher would have to pry him off me.”</p><p>“He’s growing.”</p><p>“Yeah, he’s too eager to remember we go over our checklist of things we got now.”</p><p>“It’s easy for you.” Kurapika said, “on the bright side you don’t have to worry about being late.”</p><p>“I dunno, it’s hard to let go so easily seeing him just run off like that. But he’s been doing that a lot. We don’t even get to talk in the mornings now that he’s made so many… new friends.”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t know what to say to that. He’s had children who he might have shed a few tears over because he knew after they moved up a grade he wouldn’t see them again everyday, unless they decided they wanted to visit him when they grew older— so very few bothered to. Though he understood Leorio to an extent, he didn’t <em>know </em>much about the other man to judge how hard it must be. It’s the mere look in his eyes alone, so wistful, like someone who’s still adapting to change and not quite yet embracing it.</p><p>The children screaming gathered Kurapika’s attention instantly. “That’s me.” he sighed.</p><p>“Hey,” Leorio’s hand grabbed Kurapika’s. He seemed to notice how forward that was, stepping back and scratching the back of his head, “remember— uh— what we talked about.”</p><p>“O-Of course.” Kurapika nodded.</p><p>They stared at each other for a little longer than necessary, but a loud crash from the classroom snapped Kurapika back to reality. Whatever body wash or cologne he was wearing today was fucking hypnotic and Kurapika had to leave before he passed out from his own nervousness. They separated, Leorio saying goodbye, and Kurapika rushed into his classroom to find one of the book baskets tipped over on the <em>floor</em>, chairs toppled over, tables shifted, and his students chasing after each other.</p><p>His classroom was turning into a <em>zoo</em>.</p><p>As if the boring meeting wasn’t enough of a drag, the energy levels of Kurapika’s class was instantly <em>off </em>the moment he arrived.</p><p>Oh, he was<em> not</em> having this.</p><p>They started screaming about <em>cooties </em>and suspecting each other, an all around vehement argument of distrust breaking out that they absolutely refused to sit in their seats. They got into a scuffle and it was <em>chaotic</em>, <em>nothing </em>Kurapika would’ve expected this early in the morning. Their behavior shifted one-eighty in the span of a week and they were all coming to him to complain about someone else giving them cooties.</p><p>He’s had enough of this <em>he said she said they said</em> nonsense.</p><p>“<em>Alright</em>.” Kurapika raised his voice, “if everyone doesn’t get in their seats within the next ten seconds, there will be no playtime, no candy, and I will revoke your recess privileges and you will have to stay in this room and read for the rest of the day.”</p><p>They immediately started talking over one another in protest, “<em>ten, nine, eight, seven</em>,” Kurapika counted over them. They still refused to move in fear of catching the disease from one of their peers. “Five, four,” he counted even slower just to intimidate them, “three.” That’s when they bolted back to their seats, quieting down their argument. “Two, one.”</p><p>The class grew silent. Kurapika strolled over to the classroom door and closed it gently, then he hopped on his desk, folding his arms. “I’m going to ask one person to speak.”</p><p>He specifically said <em>one person </em>and yet all of them are rushing to speak at once, and it was giving him a headache, <em>“I’ll wait!” </em>he shouted. Silence. “One person at a time. I need someone to <em>explain </em>what is going on and why is my class acting so out of control and it isn’t even second period.”</p><p>The long silence made Kurapika drum his fingers against his desk, “we can sit here all day, regardless we’re still facing punishment.” Everyone groaned, dismayed. He shrugged, “any minute now.” he drank his coffee slowly, set it down, and stared at them. They knew how Kurapika got when he was angry with them, which was why they sat there, flushed in embarrassment, and at a loss of words without feeling any more shameful than they already do. As much as they liked to tease Kurapika for being <em>that kind of teacher</em> it worked <em>wonders </em>when they acted out too much and Kurapika reached his limit.</p><p>“Killua said someone had cooties.” Pokkle blurted out.</p><p>“Are you serious?!” Killua shouted, “<em>I never said it was someone here</em>—”</p><p>“—so did you give it to Gon first?!”</p><p>“None of your beeswax horseboy!”</p><p>“Liar! You and Gon gave everyone else cooties!” Ponzu defended Pokkle. The window was right there. Kurapika could just open it, climb out, and leave the classroom. But he had a job he thoroughly enjoyed, even if it drove him crazy. And these children eating chalk and blaming each other for spreading an imaginary lethal disease were reminding him why the salary he signed up for this contract wasn’t worth it. They started yelling and crying because they thought Killua had it and gave it to Gon, who gave it to someone else.</p><p>Kurapika had no idea what was going on. It was if the spirit of angered monkeys possessed all of them at once and all they did was bicker. It’s not like the time Killua told Pokkle that by having glitter all over himself, which in context, he spilt when they were making an art project in class, that if he didn’t remove all the glitter off him then the glitter monster was going to come out of his closet and eat him while he was sleeping. All the students that had glitter on them came to Kurapika sobbing their eyes out that they didn’t want to die by the <em>glitter monster </em>and he spent a whole hour dusting it off everyone, thus getting glitter on himself.</p><p>They didn’t believe it anymore when Kurapika came back to teach them the next day, alive. This was a class spread <em>cooties </em>epidemic and they’d just about believe it if you told them that pudding cups gave you wings if you thought hard enough.</p><p>Which was why he had his suspicious set on a particular <em>Zoldyck</em> for these misdemeanours.</p><p>They had to work on their assignments and do their individual reading times, with no free period for playtime— just as Kurapika instructed.</p><p>“There’s a cooties epidemic in my class today.” Kurapika said in the staff room.</p><p>“Oh my God.” Pairo rubbed his back, “I’m… so sorry.”</p><p>Kurapika eyed him from where his head was slumped in his arms.</p><p>“Did you catch two of your kids smoking weed in the bathroom today?” Machi asked, “I don’t think so.”</p><p>Kurapika slowly lifted his head, “—<em>where</em>—”</p><p>“Mhm.” Machi refilled her thermos, “That’s another two parents I gotta talk to before parent-teacher conference, yay.”</p><p>“One thing I learned is that if you think you’re having the worst day, you’re probably not. Literally.” Basho told them.</p><p>Kurapika thought about going up to the roof to finish the rest of his lunch and scream.</p><p>Melody came in for music time. Sometimes they alternated between going to her classroom or having her come over here. It was a breather, because it meant that Kurapika could leave the other teacher, whether it’d be Kite for art, Uvo and Phinks for gym, or Melody for music, in charge of the class for a period and cover for him while he did his own work and monitored them in case they were being out of hand. They seemed to understand they were already on thin ice because of the mishap earlier this morning. They’re usually hyper when they come back from recess so maybe that's why they were eager to sing songs in class while Melody calmly guided them through the lesson.</p><p>It was a fun lesson. The kids got to sing. Some of them were far too shy, hated singing overall, some were ecstatic and sung their hearts out, Melody had a lovely voice of her own and it was a breather for Kurapika to sit back and listen to putting together their lesson after this period.</p><p>...And then Zushi threw up.</p><p>On the carpet.</p><p>The kids had scattered away from him. It could’ve been food poisoning, (nothing to be surprised about, it’s<em> free school lunch</em>) but they decided to blame it on the cooties.</p><p>Gon and Killua decided to spill the beans after Zushi was taken to the nurse’s office.</p><p>“We think that Gon’s dad is trying to give you cooties.” Killua explained. “Because he has it, he probably gave it to Gon, who gave it to me, and now it spread through the rest of the class. We might all have to prepare our funerals.”</p><p>“It got Zushi!” Gon exclaimed.</p><p>“...This is what this morning’s commotion was all about?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“To be fair, they started getting all scared of me because they think I gave it to someone.” Killua said, “...and they probably aren’t wrong, but it wasn’t me, though.”</p><p>“Go sit down.” Kurapika rubbed his face. “Melody,” she’s busy speaking with Komugi, complimenting her on her singing skills, and she’s telling Melody about Mereum. “I’m so sorry.” he told her.</p><p>“It’s fine.” Melody laughed, “actually, I love teaching the smaller kids the most. It’s my favorite part of the day to come here.”</p><p>“The custodians having to clean up vomit on the carpet while you’re teaching a class is definitely not what you expected.”</p><p>“It happens.” Melody said, “what is this about cooties?”</p><p>“I can’t even begin to explain that myself.”</p><p>“Sounds so terrifying.”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes, “it might as well be doomsday and I’d be fine with it.”</p><p>“Are you excited?”</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“Parent-teacher conference.”</p><p>“Oh please.” Kurapika took a piece of candy out of the jar, if his students weren’t deserving of any then he deserved to take something out of it. “I'm giving you full permission to shoot me when the day comes.”</p><p>“When your favorite student’s parent is showing up? I could never.” Melody teased. “I think we all know LP favors you a lot.”</p><p>“Why does everyone call him that?”</p><p>“That’s his initials he signs on all of his donations to the school.” Melody answered, “plus, it has a more charming edge to it.”</p><p>Once the students settled down, Melody taught the remaining ten minutes of the class. She said she’d be back next week to practice some more. They had plans of a play coming up soon as well they discussed and that meant they got to work together more in theatrical means, if teaching weren’t like getting pecked to death by a chicken the inner theater kid in Kurapika would be more pleased to hear that.</p><p>He met up with Leorio again during dismissal. Gon and Killua became so inseparable that they might as well both be dismissed under Leorio.</p><p>“Hey dad!” Gon chirped.</p><p>“Gon, watch out!”</p><p>On second thought. Killua greeted Leorio by swinging his fist right into his balls.</p><p><em>“Son of a</em>—” Some parents looked on with sheer horror at Leorio doubling over with a groan. Killua yanked Gon away.</p><p>“What if he infects you more?”</p><p>“I thought he already infected me!”</p><p>“Killua!” Kurapika scolded, “<em>we do not punch other people</em>!”</p><p>“He’s gonna get you sick too!” Killua defended, “it’s because you’re holding hands with each other!”</p><p>“I’m doing <em>what</em>—” both Kurapika and Leorio said at the same time. Leorio’s more of a wheeze.</p><p><em>“God</em>,” he croaked, Kurapika placed a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”</p><p>“<em>Yeah</em>, totally. Of course.” Leorio stood up, coughing. “Jesus Christ, you pack a punch there kiddo.”</p><p>Killua’s still standing in front of Gon <em>and </em>Kurapika protectively.</p><p>“Killua says you’re sick.” Gon said. “Now everyone in the class is sick because you gave it to me.”</p><p>“I did, huh?” Leorio laughed weakly, “well I had no idea. I thought I was pretty fine.”</p><p>“That’s the denial stage.” Killua said. “Cooties don't always show symptoms.”</p><p>Leorio chuckled, “ah, so that’s what this is about?” he asked Kurapika.</p><p>“...I’d, suppose.” Kurapika just learned about this <em>today</em>.</p><p>“You’re not sick. If I were sick and I gave it to you, you’d know.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“Be careful, Gon.” Killua reminded him.</p><p>“Killua!” His siblings, Alluka and Nanika, came rushing over to him. It turned out that they ended early, so they could wait for Kalluto together.</p><p>“I won a prize raffle today.” Alluka lifted a pink yo-yo in her hands. “Guess what I picked.”</p><p>“No way.” Killua grinned, “Now we can match.”</p><p>“I think Kalluto’s still in class right now.” Nanika said. “We’re waiting.”</p><p>“Can I see?!” Gon asked. Instead of leaving right away, the children run off to the side to play with Alluka and Killua’s yo-yos.</p><p>“I get the feeling that Killua doesn’t like me too much.” Leorio chuckled sheepishly.</p><p>“...He thinks that,” Kurapika slowly registered, “...we’re holding hands.”</p><p>“Can you believe that?”</p><p><em>“Yeah</em>, well I see what you mean by their strangeness.”</p><p>“No,” Leorio said.</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“I still think there’s something going on I don’t know about.”</p><p>“A cooties panic.” Kurapika chuckled, “that’s… just about the <em>most </em>I picked up on, it’s been such a day, I contemplated strangling myself.”</p><p>“How bad was it?” Leorio asked, “aside from me getting punched in the balls, of course. Which <em>still </em>hurts, by the way.”</p><p>“One of them threw up on the carpet and they thought the disease was spreading lethally through his body.”</p><p>“That’s… not possible, medically, I’m positive of that.”</p><p>“Trust me, if I do see anything, I’d let you know. Killua’s beat me to it.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“He just barely said a word to me before they ran off to play.” Leorio stood up straight. Kurapika was tempted to ask if he was still in pain.</p><p>“I still don’t know why he did that.”</p><p>“My only guess is that it’d stop me from spreading the imaginary cooties disease. But, speaking of that,” Kurapika’s eyebrows raised at the sudden change of topic, “well not speaking of diseases, I hear enough of that already—” <em>hear enough of that? </em>“I got an e-mail from the school about a PTA conference?”</p><p>“It’s in two weeks.” Kurapika explained, “once they settle on an exact date, they’ll let us know so we can inform all the parents. That’s… how it usually goes, in case there’s any changes.”</p><p>“Nanika, don’t steal my yo-yo!” Killua chased after her.</p><p>“<em>No running</em>.” Kurapika scolded them.</p><p>“She took my yo-yo!”</p><p>“Please give it back, Nanika. She’s not even my student,” Kurapika murmured to Leorio. “They’re supposed to be in the auditorium, but I suppose this is an exception since they’re waiting on their last sibling.”</p><p>“Gon!” Leorio decided to help out, breaking up their little scuffle. “C’mon, little frog. We gotta go.”</p><p>“Already?” Gon asked, “can we stay for a little? Pretty pretty please?!”</p><p>“We already stayed enough. We gotta go.”</p><p>“But I don’t wanna leave!” Gon whined, “I like staying with Killua.” Kurapika noted the light flush on the other boy’s cheeks, Gon going as far as to hold his hand.</p><p>“You can’t hold my hand!” Killua blurted, “You already gave me the cooties, remember?”</p><p>“Then we can both have it!” Gon beamed.</p><p>“A-Are you an idiot?”</p><p>“I’ll buy you McDonalds.” Leorio crouched down in front of Gon.</p><p>“You must go.” Kurapika convinced. “Say goodbye. You’ll get to see him tomorrow.”</p><p>“Man…” Gon sighed. “Bye Killua.” he quickly whispered something in Killua’s ear that neither Leorio or Kurapika caught onto. “Bye Nanika, bye Alluka, tell Kalluto thanks for buying us candy the other day!”</p><p>Kurapika directed the other children to the auditorium. He turned back and saw the way Gon jumped on Leorio’s back shortly after, and the tiredness in Leorio’s eyes faded a little with mirth that shined through them. “Bye Mr. Kurta!” He heard Gon shout lastly.</p><p>On the way there, Kurapika pictured Leorio quietly telling Gon as a reminder to say goodbye to his teacher upon leaving the building. It left him a little brighter in spirits.</p><p>And then it didn’t.</p><p>
  <em>PTA Hell Week is approaching. </em>
</p><p>The code word for that: winter is coming. Fast.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Writing angry teacher Pika is so fucking funny because I imagine them to be like snarkymarky's teacher POV tiktoks... like you KNOW they that bitch who lectures the class about the volume being ASTRONOMICAL and his friends are like damn kurapika back at it again</p><p>Next chapter: WINTER IS COMING (PTA conference week) </p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. you raise my dopamine levels</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the parent-teacher conference actually occurs, Leorio promises that he'd try his best to make it and Kurapika waits hopingly. Gon tells Killua more about his mother after he opens up to Gon.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>damn who put all this angsty backstory in my salad lol my bad</p><p><b>tw</b>: minor character death/mentions of maternal mortality, suicide attempt, depression, heavy stuff however it is only in the beginning part of the chapter!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leorio enjoyed his sleep.</p><p>Between having to wake up at five in the morning and getting ready, sometimes leaving during the late afternoon or being held back until late night— he tried his best to tend to every single one of Gon’s needs. Leorio was no longer selfish. His day wasn’t over until after Gon was fed, bathed, pampered, and all of his needs were met, up until Leorio tucked him into bed.</p><p>Throughout primary school he’d known Pietro as his next door neighbor; they had no idea if they were ever going to get out of the tough streets they lived in, feeling like they were trapped. Pietro had gotten sick, it happened so suddenly— their town didn’t have a clinic within their reach, and Leorio had skipped weeks of school just to sit by his side and do what he could to nurse his only friend back to health.</p><p>...And he turned out to be alright. It was a miracle in the end, Leorio argued with his parents while his siblings struggled to keep hope. Pietro’s family did everything they could, made countless phone calls, and relied on the aid of their extended family. They thought he wouldn’t leave that bed no matter how many prayers and good wishes sent his way.</p><p>Nightmares relentlessly plagued Leorio about possibility moving on without his best friend. They pulled themselves through the torment of some of their peers at school, their families struggling to make ends meet to keep a roof over their heads, going as far to work odd jobs together and swear to each other that they’d always have each other’s backs through thick and thin. They’ve seen the ugly, made constant sacrifices in their day to day life.</p><p>Then Leorio swore one day, after high school, that he’d get into med school. He’d work part-time to rack up some money and put it aside, even if it was a single penny, he wanted to aid the ill, the injured, but he didn’t want to just tell them about how he could help them, he wanted to help them himself. He wanted to be in that room, starting a heart back to life, stitching up a bloody wound, providing stability and support. He promised his parents one of these days he’d come back home and open up a clinic of his own.</p><p>Pietro said he didn’t really know what he wanted yet. But he gave it some thought, and decided he wanted to join Leorio, too. He wanted to prevent what happened to him for someone else’s sake this time, and give them a chance.</p><p>Upon entering college, they reached a whole world of adulthood they weren’t prepared for. Thrust right into pressure, isolation, expectations, standards that they were so far behind. Leorio was aware he had a long wait ahead of him. But he wanted to get started as soon as he could.</p><p>Pietro offered plenty of distractions. He met Zepile, at first, some annoying shithead he met at a frat party, and Knuckle, the <em>leader</em> of the frat of some sorts. He thought he’d stick out like a thumb, and yet, he grew acquainted with these two men and they’d be bar hopping on weekends they should be studying for exams, doing kegstands at some rando's dorm and getting wasted. Knuckle had called their little group met by chance encounter at a shitty party Leorio was forced to <em>BBFL</em>— Bad Boys For Life, as <em>unoriginal </em>as it was, they stuck with it and there weren’t any better objections. Admittedly Leorio was a little scared of his best friend getting roped into things without him and doing better objectively.</p><p>He was meeting other people and Leorio stayed put at his desk, so Pietro had to drag him out into the real world because the point of them being here wasn’t to shut themselves in like how they stayed in Leorio’s room on hot summers playing video games on his shitty computer. It was hitting a joint for the first time, a first real heartbreak, a real partner, a real <em>party</em>, the stale taste of beer, the loudness of music at a sweaty house party, banging walls, a mindblowing <em>fuck</em>, less of worry about school debt and doing laundry at three am in the morning— it was about fucking freedom.</p><p>Pietro, Zepile, and Leorio there through the time Knuckle had a crisis over the cute guy he saw in one of his classes and mustered up the courage to ask him out at another party. The time Pietro walked in on his girlfriend fucking someone else in her dorm, the aftermath of the break-up. It was the time Pietro learned how to finally <em>grow a pair </em>before any of them. This wasn’t about high school partners which ended in a month after it started. It was either about commitment or no strings attached. Zepile went for the latter.</p><p>As for Leorio, watching his friends throw themselves into pointless flings and relationships staler than potato chips, he wanted to be into neither of those things. He’s aware after puberty <em>a lot </em>of changes drew attention from others. He wasn’t that scrawny kid from high school anymore who just as much as stammered when he talked to a crush, tripped over his shoes, stumbling everywhere he went. Thin arms turned bulky with hours spent in the gym, shoulders broadened, voice deepened, a sprout of facial hair he wished he had when he was fourteen. He wasn’t dense. He knew of the impact he had towards potential interests, but he had one goal: and that was landing that med school application as soon as possible.</p><p>So: upon entering college, Leorio had a number one rule. No distractions. Med school was already looking bleak as it was when he thought about the costs, he started training to be an EMT, dipping his foot into the world of healthcare one step at a time. Back in high school he had some home health aide training, he knew how to do CPR, and he helped teach those who came from the same neighborhoods. But he wanted to be out there on the scene, looking to be out of his comfort zone.</p><p>He allowed breaking the rules a few times to spend time with his newfound friends— for that, he wouldn’t want to let Pietro down for the world. But he knew when he had to work. That’s where him and his friends had their differences. Sometimes, he even declined for his sake. They were alright with that. Then one pass-up on a hangout turned to another. After all, his work got more and more serious by the day. He clashed with Pietro thousands of times as children and they’d make up a few days later and put the past behind them.</p><p>This time around, they didn’t reconcile over their disagreements as easily. If Pietro wanted to go the same path as Leorio, wasting his years away wouldn’t do him any good. Pietro just wanted to live the life that he couldn’t when he nearly lost it back then when they were innocent children, and if Leorio couldn’t accept that, then it meant they were breaking their oath.</p><p>Their split felt like the longest.</p><p>Leorio was seeing his friends less and less. They’d talk every now and then. But they’d go their separate ways when it was time to go back to their budding lives.</p><p>He met Aura when he was on duty.</p><p>A girl had to be wheeled into the hospital because she collapsed during a show she had at a theatre. It turned out it was simply due to dehydration and her body was far too exerted to keep going, but she insisted that she couldn’t miss out on her performance because it meant everything to her.</p><p>They stabilized her, nursed her back to health. Her parents arrived, they lived about two hours away. By then she was okay to leave.</p><p>Leorio’s been through numerous scares, far worse than her own when they transported patients to the hospital with severe injuries. At his young age, it’s nothing like he’s ever seen. Sometimes, far too much to handle. But he had to suck it up and be prepared for the worst. For some reason, that girl he helped then wouldn’t leave his mind.</p><p>She came around again. Leorio liked to volunteer at the hospital when he had the chance. He was more of an intern, if anything, he couldn’t take any clinical positions when he already had his current job. He wasn’t in med school yet, but he will take what he can get. She asked for his name, Leorio busy serving coffees to tired receptionists.</p><p>She said her name was Aura, and she was a performer. They went to the same college. Leorio was aware there was a music program, but none of the BBFL held remotely any interest in that stuff and nor did he. Suddenly, he did once they became acquainted. She thanked him for saving her life.</p><p>Leorio was too nervous to say anything else after she left.</p><p>He didn’t tell his friends about her, instead, he stumbled across her on a Google search. A musician at Hunter University that landed a contract with a known record label, but she’s currently finishing her studies in school and self-releasing her own music.</p><p>He confessed to Zepile that she was way out of his league when he found out more about her. He’d probably never see her again after she collapsed. He had to move countless faces into the hospital and it’d be a bad omen to hope that she was one of them… however, he found himself dreaming like he was in middle school with a crush all over again.</p><p>Aura came back. He spilled coffee over himself that day. His scrubs a mess. He clocked out an hour later than he should. His car had issues starting up. She came looking for him, and asked him on a date.</p><p>One date turned into another.</p><p>Leorio learned that she actually wanted to study biology at some point, that playing piano and singing was meant to be a hobby. Then she wanted to place herself on stage and see where things go from there. They shared an astronomy class back in freshman year, though Leorio had no idea that they were in the same room for an entire semester. It clicked then, that the girl with the dark hair, the freckles that dotted her nose, her noticeable bangs with the pink, bunny patterned backpack. The girl that sat next to him, humming the same, soft tune under her breath would be the girl he’d meet again three years later.</p><p>When he met up with Zepile Leorio brought her with him. It made him feel happy that he could proudly call her his girlfriend. He brought Zepile along to all her shows. She came by his workplace when she was able to. The BBFL wasn’t exactly back together completely, and he hadn’t been talking to Pietro.</p><p>But it felt strange that he wasn’t the first person Leorio told that he got accepted into med school, and instead, Zepile, his arm candy at the time, and Aura. They celebrated regardless. He left Pietro a voicemail, and managed to tell Knuckle in passing.</p><p>He didn’t get a response back from Pietro.</p><p>They shared the same dorm, but they talked so little it was as if Leorio just slept there alone every night.</p><p>During med school, Aura left college to focus on songwriting. They lived in an apartment together somewhere off-campus. A massive upgrade compared to the dorm he shared with Pietro. Leorio figured if he moved out it’d be better to let Pietro have space of his own. He could give that to him. Leorio’s boss referred him to a proper internship position at another hospital and he gave up EMT training to focus on that while he was in school.</p><p>Him and Aura never had the chance to talk about how their schedules would clash with free time to see one another. But they lived together, and that was enough for them. Zepile began to ask if he was happy with how things were. Leorio claimed that he was… but that’s what he was <em>supposed </em>to say. He was actually unsure himself. Aura invited him to a few gigs. Every now and then, they went on a date, slept together, and talked about idle plans for the future.</p><p>Neither of them wanted to say they didn’t see each other in it. The answer was clear when Leorio started his residency and Aura was traveling across the country.</p><p>He got a text from Pietro congratulating him on landing the residency. Leorio pretty much expected to hear nothing else. Just a congrats, and they moved on. He was being stubborn, and he knew it. But life went on. Maybe he had to learn how to stop being dependent on his best friend and grow a pair too.</p><p>Five years into his residency, Leorio started going to bars to drink himself to death and vomiting into the toilet in his empty apartment.</p><p>Whenever his family reached out to ask how he was doing, he was tempted to say he reconsidered everything. The money his scholarship covered wasn’t nearly enough. He was working shifts in the hospital day to night, drowning in schoolwork. He barely spoke to anyone.</p><p>His final year of residency, Aura called him to say that she was pregnant.</p><p>Zepile asked him what he was going to do. Leorio didn’t have any idea what he was going to do the next fucking day, let alone for the next nine months. Last time he checked he was eighteen and wondering when his life of adulthood would really start. He reached his late twenties, and everything was becoming too much of a blur to process all at once. But Aura was expecting, and she wanted Leorio to be there for her.</p><p>He’s chief resident now, and he was about to have a child with someone he thought was the love of his life. His family was happy. His friends were happy.</p><p>Leorio… should be happy. Aura knew he was doubtful. But she thought he was the only one she trusted enough that they could go through with this. The truth was the mistake that happened at a house party where everyone was blackout drunk and making bad decisions was what led to here, but Leorio would never want to believe that this was a long-term consequence. He wanted to believe he wanted this.</p><p>Aura gave birth to their child the time Leorio earned his long-awaited fellowship in general surgery.</p><p>He was going to start a family of his own. He prepared himself for everything to come, everything he needed to know, he was prepared to drop everything, if he could. So he could be in support of his child.</p><p>He didn’t know that he’d have to bear through it all by himself.</p><p>He didn’t know that he’d have to wear his best suit, black, to a memorial, consoling devastated faces of the people who expected the same future as he did.</p><p>He didn’t know that he had to face his family with faces of pity and tell them that he’d be alright.</p><p>He didn’t know he’d meet his best friend again at the funeral, where Leorio cried in his arms until the tears stopped falling.</p><p>Leorio tuned out all the news articles. He contemplated throwing everything away. He didn’t have any backup plans. He just preferred if he didn’t <em>be</em>, knowing he was only sitting in this spot someone else probably deserved because he was lucky.</p><p>Pietro walked into Leorio's apartment and his face went pale when he saw the chair from their kitchen missing, and found Leorio in the living room, standing on top of the coffee table about to stick his head under a noose. He ran, fast, and pulled him off, cradling his best friend in his arms and apologizing for everything they've gone through.</p><p>While their child was in the nursery, Leorio went to see a therapist for a few months.</p><p>Eventually, Zepile looked him in the eye and told him to take that fellowship no matter what happened.</p><p>So, Leorio did.</p><p>If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have found out about him and Pietro would be working with each other in the same hospital. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have found out Knuckle took on bartending after graduation, and ended up dating Shoot for the long-term. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have found out Zepile’s been looking into opening his own business.</p><p>He started his first job in the trauma ward as a surgeon, and… the BBFL was back together. For the first time in nine years.</p><p>The only difference was that Leorio had a child in tow.</p><p>They named him Gon.</p><p>The last thing Gon got to do with his mother was hold her hand, the smile on her face, and she slept, content. The first thing he heard was the sound of the machine flatlining and Leorio screaming at the top of his lungs when she wouldn’t wake up. The thing he’d never see, the blood on the hospital bed, how his mother looked like in person, the way Leorio held his head in his hands in the waiting room.</p><p>He’s in his early thirties.</p><p>Gon's turning six in the coming year.</p><p>The court granted Leorio take Gon in custody and he couldn't be any happier.</p><p>From the first time Leorio held his son in his arms, he told him, <em>it’s just you and me now. </em>Without anyone else in the picture, he swore that he’d never let a distraction take someone else away from him ever again. All Aura wanted was to care for their son, and Leorio had to take on that responsibility before she had the chance to.</p><p>When he saw his son’s teacher, all of that came crashing down.</p><p>He had a vow that if he dived into a single distraction he’d risk losing something else. He was practically terrified, and yet, he saw their face. Then he ended up forgetting what he’s sworn off for the past several years, since he had Gon.</p><p>He couldn’t stop seeing them everywhere. They met each other at Knuckle’s bar, where they talked about Zepile’s latest hookup and Knuckle’s engagement… he’d excused himself and followed them out.</p><p>He knew they came to this bar frequently. They'd been in the same vicinity outside of Gon's school, but Leorio didn't have the guts to approach them.</p><p>They were on a level higher than everyone else they knew it, and chose to keep that fact to themselves. Their fingers casually swirled around a glass of red martini, their eyes on no one in particular. They said they were waiting for someone, but how could <em>anyone</em> keep them waiting?</p><p>Leorio never wanted to reach something so high, higher than he was, so badly in his life.</p><p>But he was scared to. Always. Each time.</p><p>His body moved on its own before his mind could and kept urging him to talk to them. A natural, gravitating pull, and undenying temptation. By then, they've already met in person. So it was fine to keep acquaintance.</p><p>Their name was Kurapika, they were Gon’s teacher, and they were gorgeous. Passionate. Strong-willed. Driven by a force of declaration, dedication to their work. They looked like the type of person to know what they wanted. And his son loved them.</p><p>If Leorio wasn’t careful enough, he’d find himself trapped.</p><p>He made up the excuse that he was just looking out for Gon by building a friendly relationship with his teacher. But deep inside, he knew that wasn’t the case.</p><p>The attraction he felt to the teacher budding within was something he hadn’t felt in decades and thought he wasn’t capable of feeling anymore.</p><p>A body toppled right onto him and the wind got knocked out of Leorio’s lungs.</p><p>“Daddy, daddy!”</p><p>His alarm hadn’t even rung yet. Leorio chuckled, feeling Gon jump on him and lightly smack at his cheek. Last time Leorio recalled, Gon's almost turning six. He's started kindergarten, and Leorio's been a trauma surgeon for two years.</p><p>“<em>Ranita, ranita,</em>” Leorio rasped, voice scratchy, “What’s up?”</p><p>“You have to drop me off to school early again.”</p><p>“I do?” Leorio asked. He honestly forgot every single time Gon asked. He had a million things he had to remember before he clocked into the hospital. The patients he needed to see, direct orders he had to give. Gon groaned, and he smacked at his dad’s chest again.</p><p>“Daaaaaaad!”</p><p>“You don’t even start school until like, eight in the mornin’.” Leorio sighed, rubbing his eyes. Gon loved jumping on him an hour before his alarm went off and his shift started <em>before </em>Gon’s, but because he was the lead surgeon of the team, they gave him a little leeway in his time of arrival. That’s why he had Pietro to cover for him while he had a child to take care of. Pietro berated him for it, but he understood that just about half of the employees had children to take care of and he, too, was expecting.</p><p>“We talked about this already.” Gon pouted.</p><p>“Hnngh… five more minutes.” Leorio slurred, “lemme just close my eyes for five more minutes.”</p><p>“No!”</p><p>“<em>Five minutes</em>.”</p><p>“No!”</p><p>“Gon.” Leorio sucked in a deep inhale, “What did I say about jumpin’ on daddy this early in the morning?”</p><p>“You never wake up if I ask you to without doing it.”</p><p>“Of course I wake up.” Leorio lied. Gon would call his name for a good five minutes and he’d be snoring away in his bed. Okay, he’d admit. He was a heavy sleeper. So Gon had to pounce on him and smack him silly to wake him up. He didn’t realize he said this while drifting off to sleep, but Gon was prepared. He pounced on Leorio again and started smacking at his cheeks.</p><p>“Dad! Dad! Dad! <em>Daaaaad</em>!” Gon chanted loudly. Leorio loved Gon to death, to the moon and back. He’d kill for him. The same way he fought with the court when Aura’s family wanted to take custody and he had Mito on his side to vouch for him with a good lawyer she knew, the same way he fought with the staff at his preschool that Gon wasn’t doing anybody any harm because he needed special attention, unlike the other kids, and deserved to belong there like everyone else.</p><p>He might be an absolute <em>headache</em>, he changed with the moon. But Leorio wouldn’t give Gon up for the world. This was his first born son, his blood, his <em>life</em>— and he’d fight back his damn hardest to keep him in his custody. Not even his own job can keep him from putting his son first. If anything happened, he’d leave everything behind to Pietro and be there in a heartbeat. He’d try his best.</p><p>“Alright, alright. You win.” Leorio took Gon’s tiny hands in his so he could stop hitting him.</p><p>“You’re just gonna go back to sleep again.”</p><p>“I won’t. You won’t let me anyway.” Leorio grinned, using this as a chance to lean in and attack Gon’s sides once he stopped hitting him. Gon squealed. “Gotcha!” he cackled, Gon laughed gleefully at the tickles Leorio was giving him.</p><p>“N-No fair!”</p><p>“It ain’t fair huh? Huh? When you only let me get nine hours of sleep?” Leorio playfully lifted him up in the air, dropping him back down on the bed at a safe distance. They wrestled around Leorio’s bed for a few minutes, it was enough time for Leorio to fully wake himself up.</p><p>“Okay.” Leorio ruffled Gon’s head. “Go shower. I’m gonna make breakfast.”</p><p>“Yes!” Gon leaped off the bed and rushed out the room. “Also can I check on Nog?” he came back inside to ask.</p><p>“Did you feed him yet?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Not yet.”</p><p>“<em>Don’t </em>knock the tank over again.”</p><p>“I won’t.”</p><p>“I know you will.” Leorio shooed him away, “shower first before you take care of his tank.”</p><p>“Okay!”</p><p>Leorio chuckled to himself. When he told his friends his son convinced him to get a pet frog a year ago, they gave him funny looks. They thought most kids got dogs or cats, maybe a hamster or bunny, if they’re feeling more spiffy— a <em>frog </em>was uncommon. Leorio said no at first, but Gon wouldn’t stop bugging him about it. He thought that this was just some <em>phase </em>in parenting he hadn’t heard about.</p><p>He’s read countless parenting manuals, been to support groups, <em>he was that kind of dad</em>— but he wasn’t prepared to be asked about wanting a baby frog to keep in their house. He thought frogs were considered wild animals and they should be kept in ponds or something, not in a <em>house</em>. Google told him otherwise, and that they were quite tame to keep as pets. (“<em>At least it’s not a bat.” </em>Zepile said, <em>“don’t give him any ideas.”</em> Leorio replied.<em> “He will steal one somehow. Don’t ask me how. He will steal one.” </em>It’s not the first time around.<em>) </em>Before Leorio said yes he was feeding stray cats outside the loft building and wanting to bring them in and he couldn’t stress enough that they needed to get checked into a vet before they could just <em>stay </em>in their house.</p><p>It wasn’t until Gon brought in a stray cat he hid in his puffy jacket that Leorio had to start looking into where to get frogs.</p><p>Miraculously, he did find one. He was given the basics on how to care for it, he was a little worried that Gon wouldn’t know how to take care of the frog. But he promised that he would, or else Leorio was going to take it back. He named it <em>Nog</em>— and from there, Leorio left most of the simple tasks to Gon. He won’t lie, around the first two months he didn’t want anything to do with Nog.</p><p>Then Gon would show him his silly little beady frog eyes and Leorio felt himself crack just a tad bit while he gushed about how friendly Nog was. Fast forward a year, Leorio was the one offering to monitor Nog’s diet, check on his health, clean out his tank. He knew Gon would be heartbroken if anything happened to Nog, and sometimes he could be a little careless himself and made a few mistakes that’d put him at risk he’d have to sternly discipline him about. He told Gon that if he kept Nog <em>safe </em>and <em>healthy </em>instead of <em>alive </em>then maybe a month or two down the road they’d get him a friend.</p><p>Ever since then Gon’s been on his best behavior in regard to Nog’s well-being. They’ve had a lot of close calls and mishaps that Leorio was <em>not </em>prepared for and he didn’t have all that much veterinary knowledge because that’s not what he studied in school, but if that meant he had to learn a bit now in his freetime so be it.</p><p>Leorio left bed, yawning. He reached for his glasses and put them on, his sweats hanging slightly below his boxers. He scratched his lower back.</p><p>His alarm went off, startling him.</p><p><em>“Fuck.” </em>Leorio should’ve turned it off when Gon woke him up. They got too into their play fighting for him to remember. He shut off the smart alarm.</p><p>Leorio got started on breakfast, remembering to make pancakes the way Gon liked specifically. Strawberries and bananas that formed a smiley face, everything else Leorio added just to be creative.</p><p>Usually Gon preferred to bathe during the nights because the mornings meant running on a time constraint, and that meant he had to shower, and he hated showering too— but he was a very <em>restless </em>bather. Gon was always restless in general. He hated staying in one place for too long. Leorio gave it five minutes before Gon started rushing out of the bathroom completely naked with his rubber frog he took with him into the bath, covered in suds from head to toe.</p><p>“Where—” Leorio quickly turned off the stove so he didn’t burn the eggs, “—where’s your towel?!”</p><p>“I don’t need one!”</p><p>“Yeah you do or else how’re you gonna drive yourself off?!”</p><p>“<em>Wheeeeeee</em> haha!”</p><p>This was just like the time Gon learned how to walk on his feet. He wouldn’t stop <em>speeding everywhere </em>constantly, back and forth, up and down, zig zag, he left a trail of dust all over the house and bounced from wall to wall it was hard to keep up. It’s impressive at how his age he went from crawling to sprinting from one place to the other and he’d be climbing on top of furniture, Leorio, and any tall building he laid his eyes on. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t have a crisis being left with a baby he had to teach <em>everything </em>from speech in three different languages (English, Spanish, <em>and </em>Italian, thanks to his parents’ mixed heritage), down to physical movements.</p><p>He just loved to avoid wearing towels for some reason. That’s why Leorio had to skid across the wooden floors of the hall to scoop Gon in his arms only for them to both careen right toward the ground due to the floors being <em>immensely slippery</em>.</p><p>The back of his head was<em> throbbing</em>.</p><p>“Ow.” Leorio grunted, hauling Gon over to his bedroom. It's too early in the morning for antics but he wouldn't put it past Gon to drag him around this early in the morning. He went for the bathroom and fetched the towel he left folded over the rack and wrapped it around Gon, drying him up from head to toe. “Let’s get you all dried up, then you get changed.”</p><p>“Can we stop by the store and get chocolate robots?”</p><p>“You ask me to do this like every morning.”</p><p>“Pretty please?”</p><p>“You know the deli nearby doesn’t open this early, so we have to drive an extra ten minutes to the next one.” Leorio reminded him. “Don’t you want to get to the playground early?”</p><p>“Not without the candy.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“Yes!”</p><p>“Get dressed and come eat breakfast. Make sure you eat everything and you don’t hide them in your shirt and sneak it in the garbage.”</p><p>Gon grinned sheepishly.</p><p>Leorio got dressed in his suit. He left his scrubs in the lockers at the hospital, and he’d be in those all day— but he liked coming in well-dressed for nobody’s sake but his own.</p><p>“Say,” Leorio asked, handing Gon a plastic bag when they left the deli together, looking both ways while he clutched Gon’s hand and the two of them crossed the street. “What made you want to go to the playground so early?”</p><p>“It’s a secret.” Gon smiled.</p><p>“Heh, is there some… little game plan I don’t know about?”</p><p>“Secret.”</p><p>Ah. Worth a shot. He’s not budging.</p><p>“Does this by any chance have to do with you giving out your stuff to other kids?”</p><p>“Secret!”</p><p>“You could at least give me a little hint.”</p><p>“Can I pay you back for these?” Gon asked. Leorio blinked. He laughed.</p><p>“You don’t gotta.”</p><p>Gon took Leorio’s hand and shoved a hand in his pocket. A lint and a tissue fell out of it, and an old candy wrapper, he unfolded a penny from it and placed it in Leorio’s hand. The chocolate robots cost two Jenny, not just a <em>Jenny.</em> Leorio pretended that it was just the right amount.</p><p>“Wow, thanks! I’ll keep this in the piggy bank.” Gon’s piggy bank. Something he’d use to buy candy and charms at the store for until he was ready to upgrade to proper allowances, and then a checking account.</p><p>He dropped Gon off at the playground, the two of them did their handshake. He saw that maybe a couple kids were already at the playground because this was where they waited during morning drop offs until their teachers came outside to pick them up.</p><p>“Oh, before you ask,” Gon grinned brightly, his missing tooth and all, and Leorio’s heart swelled. “I got everything!”</p><p>He actually remembered this time. Gon left the car, and Leorio watched him rush into the playground.</p><p>He’s adapting well.</p><p>Faster than Leorio was in this new city.</p><p>It’s not terrifying to him at all. Maybe… he <em>was </em>just overreacting. He still can’t help but worry about how he was handling all this.</p><p>He told Pietro he was going to clock in a little early, pulling out onto the road and driving off.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gon crept behind the playground, waving when he saw Killua sitting there on a pillow and munching on a twizzler.</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“Hi.” Killua nodded at him. “Robots.” he made grabby hands. Gon handed it to him.</p><p>“So how did you sleep here?”</p><p>Killua patted the soft pillow he sat on, “this and a blanket.”</p><p>“Cool. Do you like it here?”</p><p>“It’s meh. I still gotta go back home to do the usual stuff because I can’t do everything here.” Killua grinned, “but at least we get to see each other.”</p><p>“...So I can’t ever come over to you guys’ house?”</p><p>Killua stiffened. “No.” he responded crossly. He took the plastic bag. “Thanks.”</p><p>Gon frowned.</p><p>“Why’re you looking at me like that?”</p><p>“...I feel like I don’t know a lot of things about you.” Gon said. “I tell you everything about me.”</p><p>Killua averted his gaze. “You tell everyone about yourself.”</p><p>“Well why not?” Gon blinked, “when you tell stuff about yourself someone else can say the same thing about them and then we have more to talk about!”</p><p>“Maybe that’s… just them.” Killua mumbled. “Not me.”</p><p>“It’s how my dad told me to make friends.”</p><p>“Your dad’s just trying to fit you in with normal kids who do dumb normal things and come from dumb normal families.” Killua said bitterly. “I don’t even get to see my dad, or my grandpa.”</p><p>“What about your mom?”</p><p>“She sucks.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“They just…” Killua grit his teeth, “they all suck!”</p><p>Gon frowned slightly. Killua kept avoiding the look in his eyes, they started tearing up a little. He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. “I could run away for good and stay here and it’s not like anyone would care enough to notice. They’re busy. Milluki is in college and Illumi is on TV and magazines.”</p><p>“What exactly do your parents do?”</p><p>“My mom blogs stuff. I don’t know. But they’re in newspapers. My dad and my grandpa never really told us what they do. It might be really bad, but it’s whatever. Illumi and Milluki won’t tell any of us.”</p><p>Gon didn’t say anything.</p><p>“See why I don’t talk about my life? It’s not even as cool as everyone else’s. So I just have to deal with people rubbing it in my face that their life is oh-so-cool.” Killua scoffed. “My life is cooler than all of theirs. I can basically do whatever I want. Not even Gotoh can tell me anything because I’d just tell on him.”</p><p>“That really is cool.” Gon agreed. “I can’t even do that. My dad would probably get mad.”</p><p>“He kinda does already whenever we come over.”</p><p>“He’s just really strict.”</p><p>“...Hey,” Killua asked faintly, “do you know how your mom died?”</p><p>When Gon didn’t say anything Killua felt bad about asking. “Sorry. I just noticed you’d always mention your mom died but you never said why.”</p><p>“She died having me.” Gon replied, serene, in such a way that it surprised Killua he said it with so much ease. “Dad says I held her hand, but my eyes were shut really tight. I kept squeezing on it. I wouldn’t let go until she did.”</p><p>Killua didn’t say anything, but Gon kept going. “Dad says that they didn’t want him to take care of me and he had to tell them that he was my dad, that he had the right to take care of me. I don’t know, it’s kinda confusing. He said it was super important people who decided that for him. Aunt Mito was there, too. She’s meant to take care of me once my dad can’t anymore.”</p><p>“Do you miss her?” Killua asked.</p><p>“I never got to see her. But I know that she’s really pretty. Dad showed me pictures. She also sang songs we hear sometimes on the radio. But I noticed he gets really quiet when we talk about her. One time, her song came on, and he started crying.” Gon scratched his head, “I asked if I should turn it off, but he said no. After that I noticed he started moving all her stuff away somewhere into a box and we took it with us when we moved. I think it might’ve been really hard to take care of me when mom was gone… because mom was meant to help him.”</p><p>“I see.” Killua murmured. “I mean if he wasn’t prepared to be a dad why’d he sign up for that?”</p><p>“Don’t say that.” Gon chided, lips forming a pout. “I like dad. He’s good at what he does!”</p><p>“But do you think that having a kid was something he and your mom <em>wanted</em> to do?”</p><p>“I… don’t know, actually…” Gon answered. “He said it was a surprise. When he found out she was having me. I just thought that meant he was really happy to have me!”</p><p>“Of course. Makes sense. We’re both still young. I bet if we asked they wouldn’t even give us all the answers.” Killua mumbled. “You don’t get it either.”</p><p>“Get what?”</p><p>“Forget it.”</p><p>“Oh, I almost forgot.” Gon took off his backpack. They’re tucked away underneath the jungle gym where no one would know they’re here unless they made their presence known. Killua was taken back that he’d go back to normal with grace after dumping all of that. “I made us friendship bracelets.” He pulled out two beaded bracelets connected with loose string he had from a bracelet kit collecting dust in his bedroom. One had a frog charm dangling on the middle, and another a cat, their names in bolded letters spelled out on part of the beads.</p><p>Killua’s eyes broadened. “You… made these for me?”</p><p>“Yeah! You’re like, my best friend. You only make bracelets for best friends. But it doesn’t mean I don’t like the others any less. I wanted this to be special.”</p><p>“Y-You’re weird…” Killua flushed, “you don’t have to make this for me— <em>h-hey</em>!” Gon tugged Killua’s hand toward him and rolled the bracelet over his wrist.</p><p>Gon put his own on as well. “Now we match.” he said. He bumped their wrists together so they could look at the way their bracelets complimented each other. “I spent like all night making these.”</p><p>“Gon…”</p><p>“It’s cool, right?”</p><p>“Why are you friends with me?”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Why do you hang out with me? You see the way I get along with the other kids. What teachers and parents say about me.”</p><p>“Because I like you.”</p><p>“Y-You don’t just say that to someone!”</p><p>“Why? I do like you.”</p><p>“Don’t like me!”</p><p>“I want to, Killua! You’re really nice to me and you’re fun, and we have fun together!”</p><p>Killua sighed, hiding his face with a single hand. “You make it seem like we’re like. Married or something.”</p><p>“We can be!”</p><p>“GAH!” Killua ruffled his hair in frustration, he grabbed his backpack and stood up. “We should start going back. School is about to start soon.”</p><p>“Do you wanna get married, Killua?” Gon asked, chasing after him.</p><p>“N-No!”</p><p>“We should!”</p><p>“<em>Drop it</em>, Gon!”</p><p>Gon noticed Killua kept the bracelet on for the entire day, not once taking it off. He’d glare at anyone who pointed it out and said it was cute. In fact, the matching bracelets became so much of a hot topic that the cooties epidemic suddenly didn’t exist anymore, at least, it didn’t seem to be as intense.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Next Thursday.” Kurapika told him when they received the date of the next conference.</p><p>“Thursday…” Leorio huffed a breath. “Let me check my <em>busy </em>schedule and see if it falls on a <em>busy </em>day, which is everyday.”</p><p>“Oh.” Kurapika appeared disappointed, “do you think you’re not able to make it?” he asked.</p><p>Pietro’s going to rip him a new one at this point with how many shifts Leorio’s been asking him to cover. He called him a douchebag earlier today because he was taking advantage of the fact that they work in the same ward and when his wife just got on maternity leave he’s clocking in for the hours Leorio’s supposed to work to pull giant rods out of people’s stomachs from construction accidents. When he asked Oito to relay the message that he owed him dinner for each day Pietro covered for him she kindly told him back that Pietro just said to <em>die</em>.</p><p>He knew the backlog of the answering machine in his office was piling up and it gave him more gray hairs than he already had just thinking about it.</p><p>“I can take off.” Leorio insisted. “Usually I just request to end my shift early so I can do what I gotta do… but this is important. I’d like to be able to talk to you about Gon and the <em>many, many </em>things we’ve dealt with in a month.” he laughed nervously.</p><p>“We are open until about… nine?” Kurapika explained, “we’re well-aware that parents have conflicting time schedules so we extended the duration of the conference. Only in exchange, it’d have to start much later to accommodate latecomers.”</p><p>“What’s the earliest time?”</p><p>“Perhaps… six?”</p><p>“Well if I ended at seven I could probably make it in time after. I figured I’d come way too late if I didn’t take the day off.”</p><p>“It’s no trouble!” Kurapika said, the kids were currently playing outside and Leorio could sense Killua’s <em>glare </em>from a mile away while Gon laughed happily, blissfully unaware of the tensions rising between the two of them.</p><p>There’s one of Gon’s new friends that caught Leorio’s eye. Killua. Undoubtedly Leorio’s been told his son was unusual— but if anyone matched Gon at the same level it had to be Killua.</p><p>Leorio loved children. Even if the circumstances with his former lover and his job rendered him unfit to have one at the time without it being too much to handle, he always thought of having one when he settled down. Not as early as he did, though the point still stood.</p><p>But something about Killua just <em>rubbed him off </em>the wrong way and it was because Killua Zoldyck absolutely fucking despised him.</p><p>He had no idea why, either.</p><p>The primary example for this was the urge to punch Leorio in the balls whenever he got too close to their teacher. Which was understandable that kids think that cooties spread by being icky or romantic. It did <em>not</em>, prompt swinging a fist into someone’s groin without remorse. And it was a strong punch, too.</p><p>He’s tried asking Kurapika. They said that it’s just <em>Killua </em>being <em>Killua </em>and would have to apologize for his inane before— which they <em>shouldn’t</em>. Leorio tried to give him a proper scolding and that earned him a kick in the shin and a <em>screw you, old man</em>.</p><p>“If anything… you’re one of the parents I’m the least worried about.”</p><p>“Is… is that supposed to be a good thing?” Leorio asked, brows raised.</p><p>“Well for one instance.” Kurapika subtly cocked his head in Killua’s direction. “The infamous Zoldyck family is currently in high demand.”</p><p>“What’re they notorious for? Their bratty, catty lookin’ children who like to bully parents and punch them where the sun don’t shine?”</p><p>Kurapika snorted, “he’s only <em>five</em>, Leorio.”</p><p>“He’s a demon, that’s what he is.” Leorio grumbled. “He kicked me out of Gon’s room while they were playing with blocks because I was stinking up the place with my<em> old man's scent</em>. What does that even mean?!”</p><p>“Cologne?” Kurapika blinked. He chuckled when Leorio proceeded to fume even more.</p><p>“He kicked me when I told him how he oughta respect his elders! He never does that to you!”</p><p>“That’s because he knows I am his teacher and I have to scold them enough for getting on <em>my nerves</em>. Trust me, I completely understand where you’re coming from.”</p><p>“Do you? <em>Do you?!</em>” Leorio blanched. He lifted the sleeve of his dress shirt, eyeing the way Kurapika honed in on the way the muscles of his arms flexed, and so did other parents walking by, but he ignored it intentionally to show the bite mark on his elbow. “I tried to reason with him that <em>I’m not trying to kill you with cooties </em>with a friendly pat on the shoulder and he immediately sinks his teeth into my <em>skin</em>.”</p><p>“I said I scold them.” Kurapika clarified, “but I can’t <em>control </em>them. I can barely keep their attention span during lessons, let alone in control before someone else acts out.”</p><p>Leorio sighed. “I’d like to know what I did to deserve this treatment.”</p><p>“...Hm.” Kurapika tapped his chin, “Over-protectiveness.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Killua’s being protective of Gon.”</p><p>“I took courses in Psych and I don’t remember feeling the need to bite someone constitutes being <em>overprotective</em>.” Leorio said.</p><p>“So did I,” Kurapika nodded, “and I agree, maybe that’s just his way of showing it. Mind you, before Gon arrived, Canary, his adopted sister, is the only one that he spoke more than five words to. And they don’t exactly speak much as it is. I think their friendship relies more on her looking out for him and it’s the silent kind. That turned a complete one-eighty when Gon showed up.”</p><p>“Well that sure makes a lot of fucking sense.” Leorio massaged his temples, “it’s always <em>Killua Killua Killua </em>this and that! Every fucking second of the day! <em>Excuse me</em>,” he quickly apologized, cheeks flushed in embarrassment at the mother who gasped at his profanity. “I can’t believe a little brat’s getting me this riled up, when at work I come across bullshit worse than this. <em>The most stubborn people</em>, actually! Yet nothing tops a five-year-old who wants to make my life miserable because he thinks it’s funny!”</p><p>“I understand your concern, I really do.” Kurapika stiffly patted his arm. “When I taught second grade, I’ve had this parent complain to me for about three hours in my classroom about a problem they faced with another one of my students, it wasn’t even about their child at all. Their child was a darling, by the way.”</p><p>“Three hours?”</p><p>“They wanted to press charges for psychic damage.”</p><p>“...I’d be a bad person to say I sympathize with them.”</p><p>“Well the only family member we really see of Killua’s is his chauffeur and butler, Gotoh, a gentleman. A bit <em>odd</em>, but who affiliated with the Zoldyck family isn’t?” Kurapika hummed, “that’s where possible jealousy comes into play.”</p><p>“You talk about the Zoldycks as if they’re mobsters or somethin’.” Leorio cackled. Kurapika’s lack of a response concerned him. “...oh my God, it was a joke. I’m joking. I didn’t mean to—”</p><p>Kurapika stepped closer. “—we genuinely have no idea.” he responded ominously. “No fucking idea.”</p><p>“<em>W-What?!”</em></p><p>“I’d prefer it if you don’t gossip about this with the other parents. They already bother you enough I’d bet.”</p><p>“So you don’t <em>know </em>a single thing about their family?”</p><p>“Principal won’t tell us anything. The head faculty won’t. We tried to pick at bits and pieces… made countless bets on whether they’d show up to a school event, and maybe we’d find something out. Nothing. Their kids have nothing to say about what they do because they’re barely even around and their butler sure as Hell won’t say a fucking thing about it. His lips are sealed. I’ve tried.”</p><p>“That doesn’t concern you?”</p><p>“It does.” Kurapika said, “we were told that they’re cooperating with the Zoldycks. So if I happen to see them tonight, we can discuss a little more about what’s going on.”</p><p>“Whatever it is, it does confirm my suspicions.” Leorio said. “A kid comin’ from a family like that? Hanging around my kid?”</p><p>“We don’t know anything yet.”</p><p>“But still!”</p><p>“They’re rather friendly with each other. Sometimes they butt heads. But they’re just children.” Kurapika explained.</p><p>“Dad!” Gon shouted, him and Killua came running over to them, backpacks jerked with each step that they took on their backs. “Can Killua come over tonight?!”</p><p>Killua’s giving him that dead <em>stare</em>, and Leorio bristled. He wasn’t afraid of a little kid. He refused to be. Then again, he wasn’t afraid of a man who waltzed into the ER with his face peeled off, <em>somehow</em>, he looked like he walked straight out of a LiveLeak video. But all his patients did in general.</p><p>This child had issues.</p><p>Kurapika knew this. But the look in his eyes was pleading to just let it go and not to argue or else he’d get punched in the balls again.</p><p>“We have to pick up Uncle Zepile first. He usually spends time with us.” Mito had a daycare to run so she wasn’t always available herself either. Now, Zepile had a more flexible schedule. It’s his weird double joint job he had where he finally had the balls to open a photography studio but he’s still selling his goods on the side because he had a line of customers on the black market that wondered why he just up and left his last gig. Knuckle, Pietro, and Leorio have been telling him to drop that shit before the cops cuff his ass but he claimed that he knew what he was doing.</p><p>He’s got a decoy now (i.e the studio) to throw them off. Gon liked having him around and Killua somewhat tolerated him while he raided the fridge of their food and told them how to con people as if five year olds needed to learn how to do that. If anything, that’s just more fuel to Gon’s little charity work he’s already been doing.</p><p>“He taught us how to print fake money.” Killua responded.</p><p>“Did he now?” Leorio could’ve sworn Zepile lent him a fake five dollar bill when Leorio said he owed him for buying them takeout last week. Motherfucker. “Great.”</p><p>“We’re gonna learn how to sell fake airpods next.” Killua smirked.</p><p>“And legos!” Gon exclaimed.</p><p>“You should spend time working on homework first before you play, and not with Zepile.” Leorio reminded them. “The things Uncle Zepile tells you are bad. I told you not to listen to his advice. It will get you in trouble.”</p><p>“Why should we listen to someone who barely pays taxes?” Killua glared.</p><p>“I-I pay taxes! I <em>so </em>pay taxes!”</p><p>“You’re rich. Liar.”</p><p>“Are you now?” Kurapika’s giggling at their debacle.</p><p>“I-I…” Leorio wouldn’t say <em>no</em>, because that’d also be a lie. But he didn’t like talking much about his occupation or his income because he didn’t want people to judge him and raise too many questions, take advantage, and be all around <em>greedy</em>. Yorknew Elementary was by no means in a wealthy neighborhood, it was a community surrounding low-income families and struggling neighborhoods much like the one in his hometown. That's why he'd come here to enroll Gon. “Hold it. Where do you get around asking questions like it’s your business knowing?!” he asked Killua. “It shouldn’t even concern you!”</p><p>Killua stuck his tongue out at him. “Because you’re trying to rub your slimy old rich person hands on our teacher.”</p><p>“Why you little…” Leorio’s eyebrow twitched, teeth grit together.</p><p>“Can we go now?” Gon asked impatiently. “I wanna show Killua my new action figure collection.”</p><p>“Next Thursday, Mr. Paladiknight.” Kurapika cut in before this could escalate any further. He crouched down in front of the two children and winked at them. “See you two troublemakers tomorrow.”</p><p>“Later.” Killua scoffed, walking away. Kurapika and Gon exchanged a high-five. Leorio wanted one, too.</p><p>“Next Thursday.” Leorio smiled, and they high-fived. He fought the urge to let his hand linger on Kurapika’s and admire the drastic difference in their hand sizes.</p><p>He watched parents with two, even four, or <em>five </em>children in tow leave the building and tend to all their needs at once as they scream and cry in their ears, fighting with each other all the way down the block. Leorio didn’t know how they did it. He had one kid and said kid felt like ten wild children condensed into one body.</p><p>Whenever he asked all the other parents how in the <em>fuck </em>they dealt with <em>this</em> their whole lives they say <em>you get used to it</em>. One moment you’re changing the shit out their diapers and the next they’re asking to have their own smartphones. Gon had broken a total of fifteen iPads and Leorio had to lock away the current one and only allowed him to play with it unless he was under supervision because he was tired of hearing the same story of how it accidentally fell out the window of their luxury loft apartment. He knew Killua probably threw it off the balcony just to spite him for wanting to supervise them for the crazy antics they put up to.</p><p>Which is reasonably why Leorio dreaded when Gon asked if Killua could come over. Sometimes Leorio wondered if his parents knew exactly how frequently he spent over at their place and Gon merely said that Killua didn’t like to talk about home.</p><p>He had to be more alert now since Gon began inviting friends over. He’s probably brought a friend or two over from Mito’s daycare, however— the moment he started kindergarten he somehow skyrocketed in popularity because Leorio would have to welcome four or five kids into his loft when their parents agreed to bring them over. He’s become well-acquainted with one the parents who worked part-time at the school and ran his own dojo, Wing, and he claimed that this was the most talkative his son Zushi had ever been since he met Gon.</p><p>He did have that impact on other children, making the quietest kids unable to stop talking his ear off because he already did the exact same thing to them. Leorio worried that it’d draw attention from the wrong people, but they never picked on him for those reasons. They thought he was too overwhelming, that’s a definite, but he was a pleasant presence to have around and he knew how to speak to kids who weren’t quite used to that attention on them.</p><p>It sounded like Kurapika wasn’t even giving the full story about what the fuck is up with that <em>family</em>— but Leorio wasn’t going to press too much in a crowded hallway where there were eyes and ears everywhere.</p><p>Never minding that. While he watched Zepile carefully babysit Gon and Killua while they played games together— he had to focus on next Thursday’s PTA conference and hoped they wouldn’t keep him behind too long. He had to take his off-days wisely.</p><p>Kurapika sent him a text while he was pouring whiskey into a glass, tucked away in the kitchen so no one saw that he wasn’t actually pouring himself a glass of juice.</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:45 P.M]: </strong>If I were you, Mr. Paladiknight, I’d refrain from mentioning anything about the Zoldycks in public. AT ALL.</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:46 P.M]: </strong>could you PLEASE tell me just ONE fact</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:46 P.M]: </strong>If I knew myself I’d tell you.</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:46 P.M]: </strong>plsssss plssss im pouring hard whiskey while they mash their action figures together and eat all our snacks</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:47 P.M]: </strong>I thought we agreed to work together</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:48 P.M]: </strong>I have to plan a lesson, Leorio.</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:48 P.M]: </strong>:((((</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:48 P.M]: </strong>-_______-</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:48 P.M]: </strong>LMAO i havent seen anyone do tht since the time i used fb in middle school 😭😭😭</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:48 P.M]: </strong>listen i just really think killua might be a bad influence on my son and it's killing me i have no PROOF because gon adores him so much</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:48 P.M]: </strong>You just despise Killua and it's fueling your paranoia.</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:49 P.M]: </strong>I PROMISE YOU IT'S NOT.</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:49 P.M]: </strong>I think you should put down the whiskey, drink some water, and continue being a dear father to your son.</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:49 P.M]: </strong>I will be seeing you next Thursday, Mr. Paladiknight. Pleasant evening. 💋</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:49 P.M]: </strong>My apologies.</p><p>
  <strong>Sunshine [8:49 P.M]: 😊</strong>
</p><p><strong>Sunshine [8:49 P.M]: </strong>Please disregard the one earlier. It was in my recent emojis. I must’ve mistyped.</p><p><strong>Leorio [8:49 P.M]: </strong>ur all good, sunshine. ;)</p><p>Leorio fought the urge to snort, he didn’t even know Kurapika used them like that.</p><p>He was a little disappointed when he didn’t get a response. He’d admit, he’s a little surprised Kurapika texted first, and happy that he was okay with them communicating this way.</p><p>Something <em>huge </em>rammed into his window and broke it. The loudness of shattering glass startled Leorio into dropping his phone. His window, where they got a beautiful view of the city outdoors, was now in pieces on the floor.</p><p>“Oh.” Killua scratched his head. Leorio’s eyes widened, him and Zepile rushed over to see that a ceramic had been thrown out the window. “Sorry.” he was not fucking sorry.</p><p>“Uncle Zepile said the vase was so strong it could break glass but it can’t break itself.” Gon explained. “So Killua threw it!”</p><p>“<em>Why the fuck would you let them hold that</em>?” Leorio asked, “I just got this window replaced from the last time!” This was why he had to set aside a budget for the amount of broken furniture in their home and make bi-weekly renovations to replace the <em>broken</em> material.</p><p>Nog ribbited loudly, sitting on Gon’s shoulder.</p><p>“Nog says to do it again!” Gon said.</p><p>“No, no!” Leorio refused, “we are <em>not </em>throwing things at windows! Throwing things breaks things!”</p><p>“It didn’t break the vase.” Killua said flatly.</p><p>“<em>Well it broke the damn window.” </em></p><p>“I didn’t think he was gonna throw it!” Zepile exclaimed. “I just said it’s <em>really strong </em>and you can hold it but you can’t <em>throw </em>it.”</p><p>“Well he threw it anyway you fucking <em>pendejo</em>, that's why you don't give kids expensive antiques to hold.”</p><p>“...At least the ceramic isn’t broken. You know those rich folks would pay thousands of Jenny to get their hands on this.” Zepile reasoned.</p><p>Leorio gave Zepile a blank stare. “Yeah it’d be a real bummer if this piece of shit broke alright. Pick it up and help me clean this shit up will you?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p><strong>Kurapika [9:23 P.M]: </strong>I must tell you something.</p><p><strong>Pairo [9:23 P.M]: </strong>spill the tea bitch</p><p><strong>Kurapika [9:23 P.M]: </strong>I accidentally sent him a kiss mark emoji when I hadn’t meant to and I was too busy freaking out about it to respond again and an hour has passed djjfgnjdkjpw now I definitely CANNOT reply anymore. I’m done. It’s over for me.</p><p><strong>Pairo [9:24 P.M]: </strong>Whore</p><p><strong>Kurapika [9:25 P.M]: </strong>Cancelling this friendship.</p><p><strong>Pairo [9:25 P.M]: </strong>can’t cancel a lifetime subscription boo ❤️</p><p><strong>Kurapika [9:25 P.M]: </strong>I absolutely CAN and fuck you.</p><p><strong>Pairo [9:26 P.M]: </strong>did u end up finding ur vibrator tho </p><p><strong>Pairo [9:26 P.M]: </strong>it's so tragic &lt;/3 that poor person &lt;/3</p><p><strong>Kurapika [9:27 P.M]: </strong>No I did not fucking FIND it.</p><p><strong>Pairo [9:27 P.M]: </strong>&amp;^%^&amp;DID SOMEONE ESTLEAL IT????????????i*(*(&amp;</p><p><strong>Kurapika [9:27 P.M]: </strong>blocked.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Winter was coming.</p><p>PTA meetings were the only days where parents, students, and teachers had the privilege of sitting together in a classroom and maturely discussing how their kid was doing in school. Except, this wasn’t for just one kid. This was for multiple children.</p><p>Kurapika was good with talking to people. He was also good at talking to <em>difficult</em> people. In Lukso, he helped his mother teach their troublesome younger cousins and their peers, given they were quite a small, tight-knit community. They were absolutely out of hand and she often needed Pairo and Kurapika's help, but the truth was Pairo was the sensitive, level-headed type, whereas Kurapika's daunting impatience kept them in check when they acted out and talked back to her. They were practically scared of Kurapika and since then they became more obedient.</p><p>Out of all the Kurtas he took on his father's strict, short-tempered mannerisms and his mother's compassion and respectfulness. Pairo suggested that Kurapika take on teaching, but he thought that becoming a DA would be more essential to his father's family business, then came law school, and he wanted to fucking bludgeon himself to death questioning what the fuck he was <em>thinking</em> not listening to Pairo. So he took his ass right back to school for a proper degree in elementary education, and moved deeper into the city of Yorknew. His mother might've been a good law school professor, but he felt he was more suitable at teaching children still well into their adolescent development and not young adults.</p><p>Something clicked with him when he taught his younger relatives the ways of schooling and helping them grow, build an understanding of the real world, the value and the importance of education.</p><p>Teens were far too catty and hormonal for Kurapika’s tastes. He's switched around grades, and he concluded the ages of prepubescence was a challenge he'd yet to take on when the position was offered. He’s heard and experienced from Machi and Pakunoda their trials and tribulations teaching third and fourth graders and the amount of questionable things they got busted doing, and Shalnark said the middle schoolers were even fucking worse off. It certainly wasn't easy handling bratty kids, but all students were going to be headaches regardless of the damn grade. Not everyone will cooperate, be respectful, nor attentive enough and getting them to stay in that bracket of constant good behavior was like playing Russian roulette.</p><p>Young children had a hard time listening to directions and couldn’t sit in a chair for two seconds without complaining they needed to pee. But they weren’t pulling fire alarms and making out in bathroom stalls, so it had its perks. No student was perfect.</p><p>One thing they could all agree on, as the staff of Yorknew.</p><p>PTA meetings were a Hellish nightmare.</p><p>Time ticked down to Thursday like it was the doomsday clock. That very evening, they spent about two hours in advance setting up their classrooms, the main office, the front entrance, and even decorated the hallway to make the occasion a little festive. It was all Cheadle’s idea. No one in their right fucking mind would willingly buy balloons and create a banner which was titled in big fat rainbow letters <em>WELCOME PARENTS TO YORKNEW </em>that it was almost an insult upon looking at it. Of course, if anyone tried to protest, Bisky would shut them down in an instant.</p><p>The staff who had to greet the parents at the door with their army of children were braver than any marine out there. The group themselves are about to disband for their respective classrooms, bracing themselves for the three hour long night of torture to come.</p><p>“The only time I’d ever drink coffee so late.” Pakunoda made a toast.</p><p>“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Shalnark grimaced.</p><p>“Of course it fucking isn’t. Only to get me through this damn night.”</p><p>“Anyone have any Xanax?” Phinks asked. He got mixed looks of concern and absolute shock, some unfazed. “What? I know some of y’all gotta take the tension off.”</p><p>“I do.” Shalnark said.</p><p>“I took one earlier.” Uvogin grinned.</p><p>“You people are fucking insane.” Feitan said, “take <em>two</em>.”</p><p>“How many of them are waiting at the door?” Machi and Melody came into the staff room when Pairo presented the question.</p><p>“It’s a storm out there.” Machi took Pakunoda’s coffee and casually drank from it. Tonight’s going to bring the worst out of people. “Paku, your lipstick’s smudged on here.”</p><p>“It’s like an indirect kiss, then.” Pakunoda smiled. Machi’s cheeks flared pink instantly.</p><p>“About ten maybe?” Melody gave her best estimate.</p><p>“Oh God.” Nobunaga groaned. Phinks popped two pills into his mouth. They’re passing around Xanax like this was a secret drug deal. When Kurapika was offered one he politely declined.</p><p>“Right, you don’t wanna be too relaxed for when you see Mr. Hot Dad.” Pairo winked, “huh? Huh?”</p><p>“I don’t even know if he’s coming today.” Kurapika bluffed.</p><p>“He’d be coming, alright. He’s so <em>coming</em>.”</p><p>“Pairo, stop.”</p><p>“Hello, hello!” Cheadle poked her head in, “everyone doing okay?” Phinks swore under his breath and quickly shoved the pills in Shalnark’s pants.</p><p>They responded more chipper than they should be.</p><p>“Good luck everyone. It’s going to be an amazing night. Remember to be polite, be kind, and do your best.” She put both her thumbs up. “Okay so, Knov is going to allow everyone in, you should report back to your classrooms. Keep the doors open. There might be a bit of a wait since a lot of parents are in attendance tonight, meaning our open invitations were a success. Break a leg.” she told them.</p><p>“I think I’m gonna throw up.” Pairo panicked as soon as Cheadle left.</p><p>“Don’t you dare make me nervous, you bitch.” Kurapika hissed. “It took me a lot of pep talk to get through this too.”</p><p>“Handling parents is scary and you know this!”</p><p>“You’ve been teaching longer than I have.”</p><p>“Exactly! Scary!”</p><p>“You guys ready?” Kite, the ever-so moderator of practically every hectic situation, was the first to walk out. “Let’s get this show on the road.”</p><p>They filed out of the staff room in small groups, men on a mission, it would’ve worked better if pictured in slow motion. Then Pairo had to vomit into a trash can, and Kurapika wished everyone else good luck on the way to their classrooms. Once Pairo was properly consoled and given a weak thumbs-up Kurapika entered his classroom.</p><p>PTA meetings were like a box of chocolates— just because it went well the year prior didn’t mean it’d go well the next. So he braced himself for the worst three hours of his life, even if it were the best. They usually weren’t. A few parents were out to tear him a new one for personal reasons that looked like they needed to sort out on their own terms, and not with Kurapika. He knew when parents were showing genuine concern and when they were just looking to pick a fight and take their anger out on someone who couldn’t do anything about it.</p><p>If Kurapika was feeling more evil he’d go and slash their tires but he had to sit his ass in this chair and discuss Cindy’s problem with chewing on pencil erasers and swallowing them an unusual amount— and that <em>no</em>— eating pencil erasers weren’t a casual part of a child’s diet and ridding her of essential things that made her happy. She shouldn’t be eating them period. He’s had to hear problems about a failed marriage by a sobbing father while his child sat there sucking his thumb and unaware of the situation entirely. Kurapika only said one sentence about his performance before the subject shifted drastically.</p><p>Some parents were darlings about their little angels and those meetings breezed by quickly. Gotoh did show up with Canary and her siblings probably the earliest. A well-kempt man like him looked like he had little issue with four children in tow, Killua nowhere to be seen. He supposed one of the youngest Zoldycks weren't showing up tonight. Alluka and Nanika are preschoolers and Kalluto is a third grader, so they weren't Kurapika's students. But he saw them during assemblies, lunch, recess, gym, and dismissal periods and knew his co-workers taught them.</p><p>They were all good children, especially Canary. Kurapika had nothing but lovely things to say about her and her astounding intelligence, diligence, and her kindness. He could see her blossoming well, but she was also a quiet one he had a hard time trying to figure out. He was able to conclude their meeting within ten minutes and Gotoh bid him farewell, rounding up the kids scattered to play around in his classroom so they could go.</p><p>Kurapika wouldn’t say that all his students gave him a hard time, and their parents agreed. It made both their jobs easier to discuss a few things, all of which were positive— then they’d shake hands and be on their merry way.</p><p>Komgui’s parents were an interesting case. They told him about Komugi’s imaginary friend and he didn’t have the slightest clue about this. She’s playing with blocks on the carpet and talking with her <em>friend </em>while they spoke quietly off to the side, filling Kurapika in on the situation.</p><p>“I’m not a psychiatrist, I’m an educator. So I’d just reason with you on her behalf.” They were alright with that, and Kurapika kept going, “children might cope with loneliness in different ways. Playing video games. Playing with toys. I don’t think… talking to people who you don’t see are out of the ordinary either.”</p><p>“At first we assumed it was a ghost.” Her father said, and he and her mother laughed, “But we knew that our house was completely fine. She claimed it wasn’t a ghost. Just a friend. What did she mention his name was? Merry?”</p><p>“Meruem.” Her mother responded.</p><p>“If it doesn’t harm anyone, then there’s no reason to be concerned.”</p><p>“Do you think she would grow out of it?”</p><p>When Kurapika observed her, for some odd reason— he saw this as something that’d stretch for the long-term and wasn’t a <em>phase</em> she’d just grow out of. But he didn’t want to give her parents a reason to panic even more about this. They trusted him and were relying on his words he had to word very carefully.</p><p>“Only… time would tell, but I can tell you. Komugi is a stellar student. She focuses on her work, she’s respectful, and gives no one trouble. I would say other kids are known to have… given her trouble. I’d guess it’s because they find how she spends her alone time strange and intimidating, but it’s all good. Include her needs and her wishes and don’t disregard them so that she stays happy. And don’t worry, we are working on ensuring students of extra, required attention, disabilities, disciplinary issues, are given the comfort that they seek and that they are heard to make this a better place for all students collectively.”</p><p>“We just want to make sure she’s happy.” Her mother explained. “I heard she has been making other friends.”</p><p>“I believe so. I know it’s anxiety-inducing to place your kid in a whole new environment.” Saying this spiel a thousand times over was like natural instinct. “If there are any more concerns, I will be sure to let you know.” Kurapika told them.</p><p>“Komugi!” Her father called Komugi over, and she rounded up her stuff, putting the blocks away neatly and rushing over to her dad, throwing her arms around him. He lifted her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. Her mother rubbed her back. Kurapika could tell this was new to them, they were parents on the younger side, dealing with your growing child was stressful as it was and he respected the efforts of those who bothered to work with their child indoors and outdoors— while some just gave up and couldn’t care less. He appreciated that they didn’t believe this was a waste of time and thanked Kurapika endlessly.</p><p>Their group chat was going off with updates on how they were doing. Kurapika checked it after two hours had gone by, finding entertainment that some of them were getting flat-out roasted and slowly losing every ounce of self-control. Some had it easier and barely had as many parents lined up to see them. It’s pretty fair, if you were like Melody, a music teacher, she probably didn’t have <em>much </em>to discuss. The gym teachers likely even less.</p><p>He was hoping Leorio would show up. He kept checking his watch after every meeting concluded. He’s met with most of his students’ families so far… flashing smiles as he greeted them and waving when he showed them out the door, their children racing after them to cling to their hands.</p><p>A man with long, dark hair strolled into the classroom when Kurapika debated on shooting Leorio a text. They left off on a bit of an awkward note the other night and he figured he’d stop fussing over it and just text him. He looked up, and quickly turned his phone off. Ignoring the constant vibrations in his pocket from whatever story his co-workers had to share.</p><p>“Hello!” Kurapika stood up, and the man was beyond unrecognizable. Kurapika’s sure he’s never seen this man in his fucking life, but he looked like he walked straight out of a runway. He noticed his hand clasped tightly in another boy’s who walked in next to him and <em>oh.</em></p><p>That tuft of silver hair could be recognized anywhere.</p><p>“I take it that you’re Mr. Zoldyck?” Kurapika asked. The <em>click </em>of tall heels stopped. They met eye contact, dull, brown eyes boring into Kurapika’s own.</p><p>“Illumi.” He flashed a tight-lipped smile, “...and this is my little brother, Killua. I heard you’re his teacher, Mr. Kurta.”</p><p>“Yes, yes. Come in.” Kurapika allowed them in. “Though we usually prefer that a… <em>parent </em>attend these meetings— guardians are accepted as well.”</p><p>“Great.” His voice was smooth, low, and quite intimidating, if Kurapika were to be honest. But he was freaking out on the inside for a whole different reason, quickly pulling out his phone to text the group chat when Illumi and Killua got themselves settled.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>YORKNEW TEACHERS GROUP 🍎✏️</strong> </em>
</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:45 P.M]: </strong>You guys will NOT guess who just showed up.</p><p><strong>Pakunoda [7:45 P.M]: </strong>If it's one of the Zoldycks you guys owe me $20</p><p><strong>Shalnark [7:45 P.M]: </strong>WAIT HOW MANY????</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:46 P.M]: </strong>Well all of them did but that's not the point.</p><p><strong>Pairo [7:46 P.M]: </strong>wym???? THEY NEVER SHOWED UP TO A SINGLE PTA CONFERENCE </p><p><strong>Pakunoda [7:46 P.M]: </strong>I called it first, you fuckers owe me MONEY.</p><p><strong>Basho [7:46 P.M]: </strong>I'm not part of this but it's damn hilarious to see you fools lose this shit and start arguing every time as if we all hadn't expected this to happen eventually. Netero probably reached out to the Zoldycks otherwise they wouldn't be here tonight.</p><p><strong>Melody [7:47 P.M]: </strong>did the father show up????</p><p><strong>Machi [7:47 P.M]: </strong>KWMELDMLSMDFKLMDKLMLODMK</p><p><strong>Pairo [7:47 P.M]: </strong>ok but is he hot tho</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:47 P.M]: </strong>NO. </p><p><strong>Machi [7:47 P.M]: </strong>SO WHO</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:47 P.M]:</strong> I think it's an older brother or an uncle. But he's dressed in fucking Balenciaga from head to toe. I have a feeling this might be the person who’s dating the janitor. I said might. DO NOT QUOTE ME ON THIS. It’s a HUNCH.</p><p><strong>Pakunoda [7:47 P.M]: </strong>"He might be dating the janitor" boy dump him 😭😭😭 what is he doing 😭😭😭</p><p><strong>Shizuku [7:47 P.M]: </strong>Idk his clothes cost more than his paycheck</p><p><strong>Pairo [7:47 P.M]: </strong>SHIZUKUS JKDNSJRNJKEFNRLVGMELDD</p><p><strong>Nobunaga [7:47 P.M]: </strong>You ain't have to do him like that we all know he weird as fuck 💀💀💀💀💀</p><p><strong>Machi [7:47 P.M]: </strong>HISOKA????? BITCH YOU’RE FUCKING LYING</p><p><strong>Phinks [7:47 P.M]: </strong>fr?????</p><p><strong>Pairo [7:47 P.M]: </strong>pika drop a pic plz dont do us like this</p><p>
  <strong>Kite [7:47 P.M]: 🍵👀👀</strong>
</p><p><strong>Kurapika [7:47 P.M]: </strong>Hold on they're still talking at the moment. I am NOT dropping a pic. If you saw someone pass by in the halls with long black hair, big peacoat, gold boots. THAT IS A ZOLDYCK.</p><p><strong>Machi [7:48 P.M]: </strong>KSLMSKNDKNFGN NO I WAS GETTING MY CLASSROOM READY AND PUTTING THE CHAIR AT THE DOOR AND I SAW A BITHC WITH THE GOLD BAG AND THE LONG SKIRT, THE BOOTS TOO ITS HIM!!!! HE WAS LOOKING FOR YOUR CLASSROOM ACTUALLY</p><p><strong>Phinks [7:48 P.M]: </strong>nobody finna tell us that the Zoldycks had more than five kids then</p><p><strong>Machi [7:48 P.M]: </strong>we're not gonna talk about how he was wearing BALENCIAGA?</p><p><strong>Feitan [7:48 P.M]: </strong>why do u ppl care so badly im muting this convo again</p><p>“I’m gonna go play with my yo-yo.” Killua said, disinterested in actually sitting through the conference.</p><p>“You have to stay in the room.” Kurapika reminded him, he put his phone away so he didn't have to witness the chat explode in real time.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah…” Killua went off to the bookshelves, tugging out his yo-yo. Illumi took a seat across from Kurapika, flipping his hair over his shoulder and setting his purse on his chair. <em>Talk about high-class. </em>Kurapika was seeing another <em>Zoldyck </em>in the flesh. It might’ve not been exactly who he’d been itching to see, but <em>still</em>.</p><p>“We came to an arrangement that we split which kids we bring here. Gotoh's brought Alluka, Nanika, Kalluto, and Canary about an hour ago. Kil's quite difficult and refused to go at all, but father insisted. So I volunteered to take him.” Illumi uncapped a tiny bottle of lip balm, using a single, slender finger to spread it on his lips, everything he did was leisurely, like he had all the time in the world and knew he was better than everyone in this damn building. “He's stubborn, hence why we arrived late. I hope that’s alright with you.”</p><p>“That’s fine.” Kurapika said. “I hope it wasn’t too much trouble coming here.”</p><p>“I have a flight for a show tomorrow morning, so just a little, but that’s fine.”</p><p>“<em>Oh.</em>” Kurapika knew how to be passive-aggressive, too. This was his speciality. “So this shouldn’t take too long, then.”</p><p>“We’ll just have to get started.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Kurapika laughed. Illumi capped his lip balm shut. “So. Killua. He’s actually a gifted student. I noticed… he’s above reading, writing, math levels than everyone else in the class. He can finish his work in a skilled amount of time.” One thing he pointed out about Illumi was that he graciously allowed Kurapika to take the floor and do most of the talking, but whenever he replied, it was something subtly <em>pompous </em>like he hadn’t known that already. “He can even answer questions that some of the kids don’t know. Solve problems that’d take my kids much longer to figure out. As you can see, in terms of placement, he’s naturally ahead in comparison to the other children.”</p><p>“Kil has better standards and he knows it.” Illumi replied, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back in his seat.</p><p><em>“I’d suppose so.</em>” Kurapika emphasized <em>greatly</em> with enthusiasm, “which is why I tend to wonder the reason behind his placement in Yorknew.”</p><p>“We didn’t think he’d do well in a private institution.” Illumi answered deftly, he laced his fingers together beneath his knee. “He’s a bit of a wild one.”</p><p>“I take it that you’re the eldest?”</p><p>“That I am.”</p><p>“It’s good for parents to keep a close eye on their child’s development, it’s quite hard when they’re not <em>present</em>. Which comes to my next issue.”</p><p>“Kil’s a little antisocial.” Illumi already knew where Kurapika was going, but he decided he’d say it anyway— because he preferred he wasn’t interrupted and wanted to say his point.</p><p>“The way he treats the other children is troubling, regardless of his skills, he fails to communicate with them in a way that’s appropriate and most complaints are regarding him. Solely him. I find myself having to talk to him about his erratic behavior often.”</p><p>“Are you saying you can’t handle my little brother, Mr. Kurta?” Illumi questioned innocently, batting his eyelashes.</p><p>“Excuse me?”</p><p>“They kick, scream, scratch, and yell at each other all the time.” Illumi said, “they’re angels the next day and then your worst nightmare the next. This is what your job revolves around.”</p><p>“Mr. Zoldyck, like your own, I come from quite a large family. It may be from a small village where education was scarce, you wouldn't know much of that. You might think you know how they are, but I've seen kids who've basically given up on their futures without even giving it a second thought. They talk back to me, yell at me, Hell, I've had things <em>thrown</em> at me, they made it clear that they didn't give a <em>shit</em>. I get it. They could be the sweetest, and they could be a pain in my ass. But I didn't spend five years of my life to be told that I don't know how to do my damn job, and your little brother is a prime example of the challenges I face everyday." he leaned in, Illumi's facial expression stiffening at Kurapika's growing ire, eyes fiery, "I think I know how to keep them in check to the best of my abilities and I think I could do that quite well.” Kurapika forgot to mention that he was the most intimidating teachers of everyone else for a reason, because his co-workers knew how blunt he can get with parents. But that meant he was reaching his limit of how much patience he could hold in his body.</p><p>“Since you have so much confidence," Illumi cleared his throat, his leg lifted off the other so he could sit up straight, his voice sharp. "I would assume Killua shouldn’t be much of an issue, after all, our dad entrusts that you'd do what you do <em>best.</em>”</p><p>“It doesn't enlighten me anymore than it does for you to talk about this, Mr. Zoldyck—”</p><p>“—so I take it that, from <em>that</em>, you claim that he’s being disruptive because of his inability to connect with the other kids?”</p><p>“It is one of the reasons, <em>most certainly</em>.” Kurapika responded, a little cross, “which is why we arranged this meeting. We haven’t been able to properly discuss concerns that need to be worked on and it’s the beginning of the year, it’s a lot of pressure, it’s a lot of stress, for both you, <em>and </em>myself. I'd like to speak about this maturely. You're free to disagree, and state your reasons, and I am willing to work with you. Killua is a bright child. He gets good grades. He can do what he is told. But he has also been troublesome to other students.”</p><p>“I believe Killua can behave responsibly, he just chooses not to. He's been that way since preschool, and that hasn't changed.” Illumi stated, he’s definitely just piddling. “That’s something that he can work out on his own just fine.”</p><p>“It’d also be important if someone spoke to him about… I don’t know, throwing legos at a classmate’s face? Pouring sand in their pants? Getting into fights with older students? Was that all something he just chooses to do because <em>he chooses </em>to be that way?”</p><p>“I’m here to bring him here to talk about how he’s doing, not how I should babysit.” Illumi rectified. “He simply just does what he wants. You don't think we've tried to reason with him ourselves?”</p><p>Considering the man was boarding a plane in the morning just showed where his priorities were. “It’s just <em>ethical </em>we discuss how to build relationships between a child and one’s caretaker. You shouldn't give up.” Kurapika compromised, “I’m not here to argue about his behavior, I’m giving full insight on his performance and I just believe there’s no one around who can properly discipline Killua on how he should act when there should be so this doesn’t continue.”</p><p>“Hey.” Illumi called Killua, sitting on top of the bookshelf. “Stop being bad in school.”</p><p>“No.” Killua answered.</p><p>Illumi looked at Kurapika and shrugged, “well I tried.” he looked at his nails idly, and picked up his purse.</p><p>“Mr. Zoldyck.” Kurapika frowned, “the meeting hasn’t been properly concluded.”</p><p>“You asked me to tell Killua how he should behave at school. I told him to stop, he said no.”</p><p>“Can we go now?” Killua asked tiredly. “Everyone else should be done by now.”</p><p>“I think Mr. Kurta and I are finished.” Illumi said, standing up. Kurapika couldn’t believe this. <em>The audacity </em>to end the meeting early. He’s had parents storm out in fury with their child because they refused to cooperate but <em>this</em> was just baffling on many levels.</p><p>“Of course. Thank you for coming.” Kurapika stood up as well. He thrusted a hand, and Illumi stared down at it like he’d just offered him marijuana. He reluctantly took his hand. They both smiled stiffly at each other, gave an awkward, curt handshake.</p><p>Killua was about to leave when Kurapika called him over.</p><p>"Killua."</p><p>"Ugh. What?"</p><p>Kurapika nodded at Illumi, "I'd just like a word with him, it won't take too much of your time." he smiled. Illumi didn't say anything, giving Killua a pointed look. Then looked at Kurapika.</p><p>“Trust me, if mom and dad gave enough of a shit he wouldn’t be going here.” Illumi said blatantly, throwing his bag over his shoulder and strutting out of the classroom.</p><p>"You don't gotta pretend you care, yanno?" Killua said.</p><p>"You're right." Kurapika crouched at Killua's level. "I don't."</p><p>Killua's eyebrows furrowed into a scowl, but Kurapika wasn't finished. </p><p>"I do, though." Kurapika said, "it's Kurta tradition to ensure a community is created regardless of whether we share the same blood. So I will treat my students as such. It's up to you to choose if you will be a pain in my ass, or you will act responsibly in my class so we wouldn't have to take this trouble any further."</p><p>"I-I'm not scared of you!" Killua exclaimed, "I'm not scared of anyone here! I don't even care about school, this place is stupid. Everyone's stupid. They think they have power over me just because I'm a kid."</p><p>"That may be the case, but why is that when Gon arrived I've seen you do so much better than you have on your first day?"</p><p>Killua said nothing to that, keeping his lips sealed. Illumi was listening attentively, but he remained outside the doorway, back against the wall.</p><p>"I see that potential in you, Killua. I know he has sparked that potential for you. But it's up for you to decide if you're going to mess up someone else's future because you're unsure about your own. As long as you are in <em>my class</em>, I'm going to make sure that potential doesn't go to waste." Kurapika instructed.</p><p>A hint of fear flashed in Killua's eyes for a second, then he pouted, averting his gaze. </p><p>"Are we clear, Killua?" Kurapika asked gently. "You're aware that if you have any troubles or concerns, you <em>can </em>speak to me about it."</p><p>"No thanks." Killua huffed. </p><p>"Right, because you're a big boy who can take care of yourself."</p><p>Killua flushed, clicking his tongue. "Whatever." he murmured, turning around. Kurapika waved at him, smiling softly. He watched him and Illumi leave.</p><p><em>Okay then. </em>Kurapika sat down and heaved out the biggest sigh, slumping his head on his desk.</p><p>If that wasn't the most stressful fucking conversation he had in ages. </p><p>He checked his watch.</p><p>Maybe three or four parents didn’t come tonight, which was fine. But Leorio was one of them. It’s eight-fifteen. Kurapika raked his fingers through his hair, lips pursed together. He’s already exhausted. Cheadle said they’d have to start closing up once the clock hit nine so they could clock out and head on home.</p><p>He folded his arms.</p><p>It’s ridiculous.</p><p>How he’s waiting around like this, as if he was entitled to Leorio’s attendance. Things came up all the time and he mentioned he was frequently busy, he didn’t have time to bring Gon in and that was fine. Maybe Gon was coming with his aunt and his grandmother. They were lovely, friendly, and Kurapika enjoyed speaking with them.</p><p>They weren’t Leorio, though. Deep inside he’d just end up being disappointed.</p><p>Damn it.</p><p>He’s getting a little too attached to the parent of a student he taught. He simply adored Gon, and that was it. Gon’s a good child, there wouldn’t even be much to talk about. It even alarmed Kurapika himself that he looked forward to meeting with someone at all when he just treated this like what it was, work.</p><p>He didn’t realize he’s been waiting for another fifteen minutes. His heart pounding each minute that ticked away on his watch. Kurapika paced around his classroom. Sat at his desk and looked over the files of assignments, projects, and assessments he had by his students to go over with their parents, leaned against his desk. Took a mint from the candy jar, fiddled with the cuffs of his favorite dress-shirt, a dark, navy blue. Neatly ironed and crisp. He’s even wearing his best slacks, the shiniest Oxfords he owned.</p><p>His co-workers began texting him that they were finishing up for the night. Pairo texted him in their private convo if he was still expecting anyone. Kurapika texted back that there's no show, as of currently.</p><p>Pairo responded <em>:(((( </em>and Kurapika fought the urge to snort.</p><p>He should probably start fixing his classroom back to its normal setup.</p><p>Kurapika left the table he sat at, lifting all the files he’s gone through already and went back to his desk so he could store them away where they belonged.</p><p>Footsteps raced down the hall, starting out faint, but echoing loudly the closer they approached.</p><p>“C’mon, dad! We’re gonna be late!”</p><p>Kurapika held back a gasp, dropping the rest of his files at the sudden outburst. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, turning around.</p><p>There Leorio stood, arms resting on either side of the doorway. Gon’s on his back, his tiny arms locked tightly around his dad’s shoulders. He’s panting like he’s run a marathon, chest heaving, sweat beading down his forehead.</p><p>“Oh thank <em>God </em>you’re still here.” Leorio laughed.</p><p>“Yay!” Gon cheered, hugging Leorio tighter from behind. Leorio helped get him off his back, and the two of them high-fived. “We made it!”</p><p>“I know! Man! They told me that they were about to close soon so I had to run as fast as I could.”</p><p>“Welcome.” Kurapika smiled, small, but he was <em>elated</em>. “...Did you really run all the way here?”</p><p>“I did. From the parking lot.”</p><p>“Hi Mr. Kurta!”</p><p>“Hello, Gon.” Kurapika was about to remove the chair from the door, along with the door stop, and close it so he could tidy up his classroom. “I still have room to squeeze in one more meeting. But it’d have to be short. We only have fifteen minutes.” Sadly.</p><p>“That’s fine.” Leorio huffed a breath. Gon ran toward Kurapika and enveloped him in a warm hug. Kurapika returned it, placing his hands on Gon’s shoulders.</p><p>“Dad was really scared. He almost crashed the car!”</p><p>“Okay tough guy.” Leorio lifted Gon away from Kurapika, the three of them getting seated at the table Kurapika directed them toward. “I did risk an accident.” he whispered, “please don’t tell anyone.”</p><p>“Please, your secret’s safe with me.” Kurapika knew if he drove his road rage would risk accidents every morning, and he didn’t trust himself with that responsibility.</p><p>“They kept me in, as usual, and I had to tell Pete to just let me go ‘cause I had an important meeting with Gon’s <em>lovely </em>teacher I had to go to.” Lovely. Kurapika rolled his eyes with a snort, an entertained smile present on his face. “Took some convincing. But he let me go. Gon was waiting in my office and I grabbed him and headed on out. Before I knew it I looked at my watch and saw it was eight-thirty, I lost it.”</p><p>“Dad was saying things to people honking at us at the window.” Gon said. "He said <em>come mi culo<strong>—</strong></em>"</p><p><em>“—okaaay</em> so we managed to make it here in <em>one piece </em>and that's all that matters.” Leorio gave him a noogie, Gon laughing. This was a breather. Kurapika felt his shoulders relax and he was recharging gradually, gathering his composure. “Anyways. Hi. How are you?"</p><p>“Hey. I'm <em>great.</em>” Kurapika drawled,<em> now that you're here,</em> “so, shall we begin? Mr. Leorio?” he teased lightly.</p><p>“Yes, yes of course, <em>Kurapika</em>.” Leorio smirked. He took his blazer and hung it over the chair, revealing a ruby colored dress-shirt he wore underneath. He had a <em>Jaeger-LeCoultre</em> wristwatch of the same color to match his shirt and Kurapika felt light-headed just staring at one in the flesh. His eyes trailed up the hair that lined his forearms, his hands pushing up the sleeves of his shirt like a natural habit.</p><p>"I'll show you a few samples of his work." Kurapika first showed Leorio all of Gon’s work, and he awed at each of it. It’s also strange, seeing that Gon was interested in what the two of them had to talk about as well. He didn’t understand all the serious talk, Kurapika offering him snacks while they talked about his performance. But he’d be proud to show the stuff he made for Leorio and he even wanted to keep some of the projects left on display. Kurapika was happy to let him have it so he could hang them up in his home.</p><p>“Gon’s the reason why half his peers have broken out of their shells.” Kurapika explained, “in my years of teaching I’ve never seen anyone as astonishing as he is. He might not be gifted, but he has such a big heart, sometimes it’s far too big for the other kids to handle and a little overwhelming. Even for me myself. But his passion, his dedication, it shines very brightly through his work.”</p><p>“God, I noticed.” Leorio’s looking through them, immersed. “My <em>ranita</em>’s so talented.” he chuckled, eyeing Gon with admiration. “Ain’t that right?”</p><p>“Dad really likes my projects I bring home.” Gon explained. “He wants to hang them everywhere. Soon our house is gonna be filled with them.”</p><p>“He’s not the best at math.” Kurapika continued, “problem solving isn’t everyone’s best friend. So I have to work with him one-on-one on that. His creativity, however, amazing. It even feels like the other kids are jealous of him that they all want a piece of this spectacular brain of his.” Kurapika gave Gon a fond smile.</p><p>“Oh no, he doin’ bad on assessments?”</p><p>“...Unfortunately.”</p><p>“He procrastinates on his homework. Like. A lot. I try to give him outside practice but it’s kinda hard to hold his attention. Don’t worry, I’m aware of his special needs.”</p><p>“That’s why I always make sure to give him extra time.”</p><p>“You hear that, hm? Mr. Kurta’s nice enough to give you more time on your schoolwork.” Leorio said, feigning a stern tone.</p><p>“But I wanna play.” Gon muttered. “Homework takes too long.”</p><p>“But you gotta do it. Especially your math. We gotta work on your math.”</p><p>“It’s too many numbers!”</p><p>“It’s simple, I promise! I hate math too. Math sucks! That’s why we gotta beat it. Pretend it’s an enemy in a video game you play.”</p><p>“His reading comprehension is decent.” Kurapika added. “Writing can take more practice, we work a lot on the alphabets, pronunciations, vowels, phonics, each kid goes at their own pace and I want to make sure that no one feels left behind.”</p><p>“Ah, I see.” Gon’s now sitting in Leorio’s lap, playing a game on Leorio’s phone while they talked. He was an understanding parent, even going as far as to ask for a piece of paper so he could take notes and scribble down everything they discussed. Leorio handed Gon water to drink along with his snacks, but he’s too busy playing to pay any mind to it.</p><p>“He’s a star student, honestly.” Kurapika got to the good parts now that the concerns were out of the way, this was what parents looked forward to hearing most. “He’s a bit competitive now that he’s around peers his age, but he volunteers to help me out whenever I need helpers for the week, he even disciplines the other children if they’re being too disruptive. He might be all over the place, literally, he’s an excited kid,” that’s something they could laugh over, “but I can tell he really enjoys being here. He has a drive for learning and trying hard.”</p><p>The point of these meetings weren’t to pick favorites, but give a general analysis on their performance and point out their strengths and weaknesses, give tips and pointers on what they could do to improve. “There’s always room for improvement. It’s the beginning of the year, he has plenty of time. So don’t fret just yet, Mr. Paladiknight.”</p><p>“Right, right…” Leorio nodded slowly, “I actually wanna thank you.”</p><p>“For?” Kurapika blinked, genuinely puzzled.</p><p>“You’re the best teacher he’s ever had.”</p><p>Kurapika’s cheeks flushed pink, “I— I just want the best for them. I have to focus on what needs attention so that they’re on their best behavior.”</p><p>“That’s why I knew I could trust you.” Leorio smiled, “it’s. It’s weird. I know. I just had this feeling… when I saw you with him. That my son would be safe with you.”</p><p>“He only wants to make you proud.” Kurapika started gathering the rest of the papers. He stiffened when Leorio reached and held his hand in his, squeezing gently.</p><p>“You’re great, Kurapika. I hope you know that. You care. Most people don’t, and just tell it what it is.”</p><p>“Dad.” Gon said. Leorio turned to him. Kurapika tried not to panic because Leorio’s thumb brushed over his hand. “You’re holding hands with Mr. Kurta again.”</p><p>“I am.” Leorio smiled, “is there a problem with that?”</p><p>“Cooties, remember?”</p><p>“Oh, I almost forgot.” Leorio let go, and the warmth lingered there. Tingling. Kurapika shuffled the papers together and left his chair to put them back on his desk.</p><p>“I’ll send you an e-mail regarding anything else we’ve missed.” Kurapika concluded the meeting, as much as he hated to. It lasted so short because they didn’t have enough time, but Leorio seemed to understand that.</p><p>“That’d be great.”</p><p>Gon ran at Kurapika again to hug him the second Leorio said to say goodbye.</p><p>“Bye!”</p><p>“My phone.” Leorio extended a hand. “You can play on your iPad when we get back.”</p><p>“Can I play more in the car? Please? Please please please please—”</p><p>“—Yeah okay! Okay! But if I get a phone call you gotta give it back little man. I make important business phone calls on there.”</p><p>“Yes sir!”</p><p>Kurapika saw them out the door. “Have a goodnight.” he removed the chair. Gon’s busy talking Leorio’s ear off about the game he’s playing, so he didn’t mind if he received nothing back in response.</p><p>Then a hand stopped at the door before it closed shut. Kurapika looked up and he and Leorio’s faces were inches apart.</p><p>“Goodnight, Kurapika.” Leorio whispered.</p><p>“Goodnight.” Kurapika repeated, breathless. He tugged the chair further into the room, and the door shut between them, leaving Leorio outside and Kurapika inside.</p><p>He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, lifting the chair with ease and putting it away. He realized his hands were shaking when he put his classroom back together, doing nothing to help how fast his heart was racing.</p><p>Pairo’s pleased when Kurapika responded to him that who he was expecting ended up showing up after all.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks for coming with me.” Killua muttered when they left Mr. Kurta’s classroom.</p><p>“Don’t mention it.” Illumi said coolly, “you know you owe me, Kil.”</p><p>“Yeah. I know.” Killua grimaced, “he’s working tonight. I think they’re closing in like, another half hour.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“I told Gon to ask about his work schedule yesterday.”</p><p>Illumi smiled a little, crouching down to Killua’s level. “Knew I could count on you.”</p><p>“You guys are gross.” Killua grimaced, “I can’t believe out of all people you wanna makeout with the school’s janitor.”</p><p>“Some things you’re just too young to understand.” Illumi started applying lipstick and Killua rolled his eyes.</p><p>“So I just have to wait for you two to be done with whatever you’re doing?”</p><p>“Can’t go back to Gotoh without me or he’d start questioning why I’m gone.”</p><p>“Ugh.” Killua did beg Illumi to come with him because his father said someone had to accompany him, and that someone, unfortunately, wasn’t him, and his grandpa said to count him out. He’s too old to be sitting in classrooms and talking about nonsense. Illumi only showed up because he wanted to see his dumb secret boyfriend.</p><p>He wondered if Gon was going to show up tonight.</p><p>He looked at the bracelet wrapped tightly around his wrist. The way the kids constantly admired their matching bracelets and didn’t second guess it when Gon said it was like they were married.</p><p>He made this for Killua. Just for Killua. Not anyone else. They were best friends. No one’s ever done that for him before.</p><p>Killua wanted to cherish this forever.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter: <b>EDIT</b>: Halloween chapter.</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. don't need to be a doctor to diagnose you with acute smile</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Leorio ends up spending his night taking care of a drunk and angry Kurapika, and Kurapika somehow realizes he's won the bet, keeping more secrets than just one. Meanwhile, the staff at Yorknew prepare for Yorknew's Halloween Dress Down day.</p><p>Alternatively titled because I can't ruin the chapter title theme of horrible medical pick-up lines: The YHE Arc: Part I.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>PLEASE just take this. The idea was spontaneous and nothing like I promised was gonna happen in the last chapter, sorta. This was meant to be a Halloween chapter, because my goal is to cover holiday events/school events chronologically of the average <s>American</s> school year, and then this bastard got so long I can't fit everything here lest the length will kill everyone. So! It's being extended into two parts! Call it an "Arc" if you will. This will be a bumpy ride.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kurapika slammed the glass cup down so hard that Knuckle was surprised it didn’t break. “That <em>conniving </em>rich little <em>model</em> thinks he’s better than <em>me</em>?”</p><p>Pairo gave Knuckle an apologizing look, the bartender simply whistled. He usually didn’t listen in to their conversations because it was none of his business, but if the bar was about to close and barely anyone was here on a work night where most people headed out earlier than usual— he had a few things to say.</p><p>“Apparently someone left an impression.” He snorted.</p><p>“An awful one.” Kurapika pushed his glass further across the counter, signaling to Knuckle he needed a fucking refill.</p><p>“Don’t let him get to you, Pika.” Pairo consoled, “just because he’s… well-dressed, doesn’t mean it beats all else.” he leaned in, “what kind of outfit was he wearing?”</p><p>Kurapika glared, “and I’m opinionated. That beats whatever Balenciaga outfit he’s covered in from head to toe.”</p><p>“Sure you don’t have any details? Gold boots? Peacoat? Purse?”</p><p>“Forget about the damn outfit!” Kurapika hissed. “Just Google it if you’re so inclined to know.”</p><p>“Did it really go that bad?” Knuckle questioned.</p><p>“He basically said that his precious little brother acts like a nuisance because he feels like it and there’s nothing he can do about it.” Kurapika stated gravely, “And that I should know that <em>kids act like this </em>like I don’t know how to do my job. What does a fucking Balenciaga-wearing model know?”</p><p>“They secured the bag.” Pairo swatted Knuckle in the arm over the counter at his response, which was <em>uncalled for </em>because Kurapika wasn’t in the joking mood. His brows raised instantly, wincing at the hit, and Pairo gave him a look that said <em>don’t push it. </em></p><p>“Okay we get that he’s rich.” Kurapika laughed, “that’s more of an important topic other than the fact that he rubbed it in my face that I’m a waste of his time.”</p><p>“What were you expecting?” Pairo asked, honestly.</p><p>“Someone who actually gave a shit about what I needed to say about Killua, probably?” Kurapika downed his glass once his glass was filled up to the brim. He needed something <em>strong </em>to keep him grounded. “Hell, their butler was even more fucking understanding than he was. But that was because Canary’s a lovely student. Why didn’t he bring Killua instead?” It's because Killua would rather eat his own foot than come and Illumi had to drag him. <em>Still. </em>It’s clear that the elder brother of the Zoldyck family had no experience going to PTA meetings and was given no advice whatsoever on how to be prepared for it.</p><p>Flaunting your purse that cost over a grand and flashing your jewels, your <em>drip</em>, and acting uninterested in anything a professional of authority had to say— is the number one way to <em>piss off </em>the other party in every way possible.</p><p>“That’s an understatement.” Pairo objected, “the bare minimum we expected is someone showing up. Like. At all.”</p><p>“What kind of parent doesn’t show up to a PTA conference? Not even once?” Knuckle asked.</p><p>“The Zoldycks.” Pairo and Kurapika answered at the same time.</p><p>“I think one of them’s a regular here.” Knuckle said. It made the two men, the only men now, sitting at the bar perk up. The last regular leaving their bill on their tab and leaving. He’s wiping down the counters now. “He comes here to meet some dude. He kinda fits the description you were talkin’ about. Like. The bougie outfit and the long hair and shit.”</p><p>“Oh.” Kurapika felt his face retract with disgust. “Same brand?”</p><p>“Versace. At least that’s what Shoot said it was. I can’t tell the fuckin’ difference between all that Louis Vuitton, Dior, which I only knew was a brand because of a Pop Smoke song by the way, or whatever the fuck.”</p><p>“What… color was the hair of his date?” Pairo asked curiously. They both knew the answer to that, but they wanted Knuckle to confirm.</p><p>“A redhead?” Knuckle pondered, looking up and pausing while he cleaned an empty glass. “Anyways he’s weird. Flirts with every regular there and the model guy doesn’t care. He encourages it, actually. He’s even flirted with me, and he knows I’m engaged.”</p><p>“That does sound like Hisoka.” Pairo laughed sheepishly. “So they really are…”</p><p>“I don’t want to envision it.” Kurapika winced. “I do not wish to. I will not ever.”</p><p>“Sometimes, they’d leave the place with like. Two to six people.” Pairo and Kurapika’s eyes broadened with shock. Knuckle kept <em>going</em>, “I don’t know how they manage to get anyone’s attention, maybe it’s just… this <em>energy </em>that they have. Like when they’re here, you <em>know </em>they’re here. You can <em>feel </em>it. They can never be invisible and they want everyone to know it.”</p><p>“Ugh.” Kurapika scowled, “so they’re locals here too.”</p><p>“Every now and then. Weird hours you’d catch ‘em showin’ up.”</p><p>“I really can’t believe that they’re hooking up. I mean. Hisoka wishes he had a life like Illumi’s. You mentioned he had a flight to somewhere in the Kakin empire the very next morning for a runway show.” Pairo said, “<em>what’re you doing in a place like Yorknew?!”</em></p><p>“Rich people do live in Yorknew. It’s not the cheapest city to live in.” Knuckle said.</p><p>“The school.” Pairo clarified. “I’m aware it costs a tooth and a nail to live here.”</p><p>“It sounds like some kinda… weird power fantasy kink to me.” Knuckle leaned in, “like, those guys who like to be told they’re worthless trash and they’ll never get anywhere in life because they’re a dirty cheapskate.”</p><p>Kurapika hiccuped. “What the fuck?” he drawled, dazed. “—that— that <em>exists</em>?”</p><p>“Some people get off on that.”</p><p>"I can't relate. God nerfed my romantic and sexual attraction because I'm so powerful." Pairo lamented, "I live vicariously through everyone's messy horny antics even if it's not my business and it makes work <em>so much </em>less boring, so I'm living for this. I seriously want his outfit though but Pika won't tell me."</p><p>"It was fucking hideous anyway." Kurapika lied. It was drop dead gorgeous and he fucking hated that it <em>was. </em>Fuck Illumi Zoldyck. Models are all devils.</p><p>“I’m more wondering how they even met each other.” Pairo said, unfazed by Knuckle’s vivid description of power fantasy kinks heavily based on the destruction caused by capitalism. “Maybe a Tinder hookup.”</p><p>“A sex dungeon.” Knuckle snapped his fingers.</p><p>“I’m going to vomit all over this counter.” Kurapika slurred.</p><p>“<em>Okay</em>—” Pairo wrapped his arms around Kurapika’s shoulders, “it’s about time we take this little firecracker home.”</p><p>“Already?” Knuckle laughed, “this shit is entertainin’ to talk about!”</p><p>“I didn’t work my ass off to—” Kurapika burped, waddling up a finger like he had shit to say to Illumi himself, but in an empty bar, “—to be told that I can’t do shit. What the fuck does he know? I— I dropped out of law school for this— he thinks he knows everything. He can’t even take care of his own little brother.”</p><p>The door opened and Kurapika’s still rambling on when Pairo froze midst hauling Kurapika off the stool. Kurapika stumbled in his step because he had one too many cocktails.</p><p>“Uh— so—” Leorio’s voice fell on deaf ears for Kurapika mainly, but not the other two. “—I didn’t know you were busy.”</p><p>“Just closing soon!” Knuckle welcomed Leorio, “my customers are leavin’ now, sadly. They were tellin’ me a pretty funny story.”</p><p>“Fuck Illumi!” Kurapika bellowed. “Fuck Balenciaga!”</p><p>“Hey LP.” Pairo said casually. “Pika and I were just leaving. As you can see, they’re very… distressed right now.”</p><p>“Are they?” Leorio’s face morphed into concern, “I can tell.”</p><p>“Drinks are supposed to be on me ‘cuz it’s closin’ time.” Knuckle said, but he heavily hinted at Kurapika shouting about the disrespect he had to face from high-class citizens with the look in his eyes, mischievous, that he should definitely be handling this.</p><p>“Um. Wow.” Leorio carefully approached Kurapika with his arm thrown around Pairo’s shoulder. “They doin’ okay?”</p><p>“Not much.” Pairo’s eyes were pleading for help at Leorio. “They had an interesting PTA conference with a kid’s— well, older brother— not exactly <em>parent.</em>”</p><p>“I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t need anyone’s fucking pity.” Kurapika spat. It’s not that he didn’t register Leorio was here, his brain was addled with too many thoughts of <em>rage </em>to bask in the fact that <em>Leorio was here </em>and not just any stranger. “He’s the worst person to pass off as that boy’s guardian.”</p><p>“So!” Leorio chirped, pretending to be unaware of the topic at hand lest Kurapika would start swinging, “You guys need a ride?”</p><p>“No.” Kurapika said, glaring at the ground.</p><p>“Sure!” Pairo replied eagerly. “I’m not spending another thirty bucks on a ride back.”</p><p>“Then just let me fucking spend it.”</p><p>“I’m not letting you spend your money either.” Pairo hissed in Kurapika’s ear, dragging him along, “just let him drive you back.”</p><p>“How about I drop you off first?” Leorio offered, “...I had plans of coming here to hang with Knuckle but I feel bad if I just let you both wait out there for a ride when I drove here myself. I can come back after.”</p><p>“I said I was closing.” Knuckle said, in a way that was urging Leorio to not bring his ass back here. Leorio glared at him.</p><p>“I mean I can still come <em>back </em>if I have <em>time</em>—”</p><p>“—it’s also late and you got an early shift in the morning!”</p><p>"—No I don—"</p><p>"—get going! Get outta here! Shoot's waitin' for me at home by now anyway."</p><p>Pairo looked at the exchange between the two men, puzzled. Kurapika hiccuped again.</p><p>“He’s lucky I didn’t climb over that desk and dropkick him in the face. Do you know how many self-defense techniques grandpa taught us? Do you— do you know— Pairo? I’d fucking <em>end </em>him.”</p><p>“Show us the way.” Pairo whispered to Leorio, evading the question.</p><p>“Yeah, sure.” Leorio nodded, and he glanced at Knuckle, who offered no help— continuing to wipe down each glass and smiled at the trio.</p><p>“Bye Knuckle!” Pairo waved.</p><p>“Good seeing you two!”</p><p>“I want another drink.” Kurapika demanded harshly, but Pairo yanked him toward the door to follow Leorio outside. He stumbled in his heels, but Pairo caught him so that he didn’t topple right over on his face.</p><p>“We’re going <em>home</em>.” Pairo clarified. “And we’re taking your little butt along with us.”</p><p>“I have a bodacious <em>bum</em>, thank you very much.”</p><p>Some guy and his friends thought it was funny to wolf-whistle at the commotion Kurapika was causing, on their way out from a club nearby, because Knuckle’s place was smack-dab in a party town.</p><p>“Save some room for us!” One of them said, “don’t hog all the fun!”</p><p>Kurapika was already ticked off. What they said didn’t make it any better. “The <em>fuck</em>—” he vexed, “—did you just say?”</p><p>“Oof.” Pairo gave the men a pitiful glance, “you shouldn’t have done that.”</p><p>They were confused out of their damn minds.</p><p>“Uh,” Leorio was about to stop Kurapika, but Pairo let go of Kurapika instantly and shoved Leorio back, shaking his head furiously.</p><p>“Why so feisty?!” They didn’t appreciate his attitude one bit, “we were just joking!”</p><p>“Do you want me to fuck you up?” Kurapika didn’t give two shits if they were joking. “<em>‘Cause I can.</em>”</p><p>“The fuck did you just say?”</p><p>“Kurapika!” Leorio was about to butt in, and then in seconds, the men were knocked on their ass with a few jabs, flips, and kicks. In his drunken state, Kurapika had them on the ground, asses beat. He kicked one of them in the side.</p><p>“You’re catcalling the wrong person, son of a bitch.”</p><p>“Okay.” Pairo told Leorio, “let’s grab him now.”</p><p>“Y-You just let him take on three guys?!”</p><p>“Once you piss them off like this, you best let them do what they gotta do or your ass will also get beat."</p><p>“Jesus Christ!”</p><p>“C’mon, Pika!” Pairo tugged Kurapika away from the men before they could do anymore damage, “hopefully they’re drunk enough to also not press charges.”</p><p>“They fucking deserved it.” Kurapika sniffed, “they think they can fool me?”</p><p>“Oh, look! There we are.” Leorio pointed his keys toward his car at the rear end of the parking lot. They opened the door to the backseat first, fighting to get Kurapika inside the car and it took Leorio having to assist Pairo to get him to budge.</p><p>“This is manhandling.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Is it?” Pairo asked, unfazed.</p><p>“I’m being kidnapped.”</p><p>“First you say manhandled, and now you say kidnapping? Choose one.” Pairo looked at Leorio. “Any more resisting and you’d have to tie them up, but I also have to warn you, they’re also into that.”</p><p>Leorio coughed on nothing, “haha, c-could you repeat what you just said?”</p><p>“I’m really sorry you had to walk into this…” Pairo successfully dodged the question. “We went out for drinks and it just turned into this. Sucks. They promised we'd go clubbing after this and then they started ranting about Illumi, so, I'm now their babysitter!"</p><p>Leorio laughed, “it’s no problem! In fact, you just saved me. I shouldn’t even be down here at this hour, but sometimes we all give into guilty pleasures.”</p><p>“Let me out of here this instant!” Kurapika shrieked.</p><p>“Are they always this catty when drunk?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Hm. Nine times outta ten.” Pairo said. “Catty Pika’s hard to handle. They’re feisty. Like. Super feisty.” Pairo shut the door on Kurapika. He got into the passenger’s side while Leorio entered from the driver’s side, the two shutting the doors. Leorio made sure to lock it so Kurapika didn't leave, so he resorted to kicking at the window.</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re resorting to <em>restraining </em>me here against my will!” Kurapika indicted.</p><p>“I could put on your seatbelt for you if you like!” Pairo offered kindly.</p><p>“Fuck you.”</p><p>“Please don’t kick at my window!” Leorio barked, “Believe me my car’s already been ruined one times too many by my own son.”</p><p>“Then let me out this instant.”</p><p>“I can’t! You’re drunk as Hell!”</p><p>“I’m <em>mildly</em> intoxicated.” Kurapika snorted, somehow <em>vehement</em>, “At least zero point zero five percent.”</p><p>“You have way more alcohol in your body than that.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t you like to fucking know, <em>Mr. Leorio</em>?” Kurapika taunted, and he shot up in his seat, hair a mess from being tossed in the backseat, practically. “Pairo’s right. You’d best restrain me properly or I’d kick this glass window open.”</p><p>Leorio looked at Pairo, who shrugged. “You heard 'em."</p><p>Leorio endured a smack on the cheek to get Kurapika to put on his seatbelt, and then they were driving off. That didn’t mean they had to endure half an hour of Kurapika not only ranting about Illumi, but the way he’s had enough of Killua’s antics and how he’s been allowing it to slide for far too long without taking any actual precautions.</p><p>“If I’m too <em>hard</em>— everyone fears me— if I’m too <em>soft</em>? Everyone takes me for a joke.” Kurapika laughed, “which fucking one is it, then?”</p><p>“Just make a right down this block.” Pairo told Leorio, currently following the GPS— indicating the route to Pairo’s apartment.</p><p>“Which one? This one?”</p><p>“Keep going… keep going…” Pairo peered out the window, “oh— here.” he said, pointing at the complex at the end of the block. “Thanks so much.”</p><p>“A friend of Kurapika’s a friend of mine.”</p><p>“Aw, aren’t you sweet?”</p><p>“He’s the devil.” Kurapika sneered at Pairo, “enabling this act of tomfoolery.”</p><p>“You’re my best friend who I love to death.” Pairo cooed, like he was talking to a newborn.</p><p>“How dare you?”</p><p>“I’ll handle this.” Leorio said, even though his cheek still stung from when Kurapika smacked him right across the face. At least he didn’t bother to remove his seatbelt upon Leorio’s command. “Jeez, how much did they drink?”</p><p>“The whole bar, probably.” Pairo snorted. He patted Leorio’s cheek affectionately. “Good luck.” he smiled sweetly, in a way that made Leorio bristle from head to toe. “Not that this would ever happen again, but if it does, at least invest in handcuffs.” he winked, opening the car door.</p><p>“Uh.” Leorio turned beef red, “h-have a good night!”</p><p>Pairo waved at Leorio and left.</p><p>“I told you he’s the devil.” Kurapika leaned in, startling Leorio.</p><p>“—<em>Jesus</em>—” Leorio jumped in his seat, “could you just— <em>be chill</em>— for a few seconds?!”</p><p>“My night was ruined because I’m in here. Now I will proceed to throw a fit about it and make it harder for everyone else remaining in this vehicle.” Kurapika leaned back in his seat.</p><p>“What the fuck?” Leorio asked, “This is <em>unlike </em>the Kurapika I know, by like, <em>a thousand</em>.”</p><p>“No, no. You are greatly mistaken, Mr. Leorio. Kind sir. The <em>Kurapika</em> you see is an <em>image,</em> Mr. Kurta is the one who’s pretending to be generous, compassionate, and professional for a paycheck that barely satisfies rent.” Kurapika’s lip curled up in a serpentine smile, “The Kurapika outside of that nine to five death trap likes daiquiri, martinis, venting about capitalism, overthrowing the patriarchy, shitty <em>fucking</em> <em>parents</em>, and <em>bratty</em> children.”</p><p>“Good to know!” Leorio beamed. “So are we overthrowing the fucking government or what, huh?”</p><p>“Nice try, fed.” Kurapika snarled.</p><p>“Haha, what?”</p><p>“I’m not telling you anything.”</p><p>“You just told me quite a few things a second ago.”</p><p>“I simply think about injustice, since the <em>Kurtan genocide</em>, have I thought about injustice, that of which does not concern you.”</p><p>“We gotta get you home.” Leorio started up the car, “your friend’s right. You drank the whole bar. Was it that much of a bad day?”</p><p>“You fucking tell me.” Kurapika cackled. “Did you make him leave so you can kidnap me?”</p><p>“O-Of course not! Who do you think I am?! I’ve gotta drop you off!” Leorio insisted. “Jeez, I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt ‘cause you’ve had a lot to drink and you’re not in the best of moods right now. But don’t make this hard for the both of us.”</p><p>“I can walk from here.”</p><p>“No the fuck you can’t. You live way too far a walk’s distance.”</p><p>“Then allow me to call a ride.”</p><p>“No. I already offered I’d drop you off.” Leorio refused. “Stay put in that damn car or I’ll consider those handcuffs.”</p><p>Absolutely not thinking, not one bit, not in the slightest, Kurapika said, “Oh please Mr. Leorio, <em>I’d prefer chains better.</em>”</p><p>Leorio almost drove into another car when he pulled onto the road and hit the breaks quickly enough to stop from doing so.</p><p>“That’s it!” Leorio shouted, “don’t say another word! You’re not allowed to speak this entire ride!”</p><p>“<em>I will not be silenced</em>.” Kurapika stated defiantly.</p><p>“You do have the right to remain silent.”</p><p>“I may speak when I please, as I please.”</p><p>Leorio’s phone began to ring while he stopped at a red light. “I can’t fucking believe this.” he muttered under his breath. “I prefer it when you’re sweet and patient than <em>this</em>. Even if it’s a turn-on.” he said quietly, pulling his phone out his pocket.</p><p>“Looks deceive Mr. Leorio.” Kurapika said, his head leaned back on the headrest, thoughts swirling and vision blurred which each second that passed, and to be honest— the car ride was making him feel sick. “I’m actually a fucking nightmare.”</p><p>“Shut up for a minute.” Leorio said lowly, putting a finger to his lips. “Hey <em>ranita</em>, how’s it goin’ at Mito’s?”</p><p>Kurapika’s head leaned against the window. Everything’s spinning and happening far too much that it was irritating him. It’s too much to process. <em>All of it. </em></p><p>“Daddy’s just… runnin’ an errand… I’ll drop by in the mornin’. I promise. I’ll also bring McDonald’s breakfast. Your favorite. I hope you finished all your homework before bed… okay, good, good. I’m driving right now. So I can’t talk for too long… I missed hearin’ your voice too. But you see me everyday!” Kurapika patted himself, and he saw that his purse was thrown under the seat beneath his feet. He picked it up, desperately hoping that there was a bottle of water in there to sate his nausea. There’s nothing. Just his wallet, lipstick, a compact mirror, his switchblade, couple other shit he kept in clutch <em>that wasn’t fucking water. </em>He sighed to himself.</p><p>The one time he needed to bring something to hydrate himself along with him he didn’t have in handy.</p><p>“I love you too. You should be in bed now, okay? Good night.” Leorio hung up. “You been real silent, so I guess you do take orders, huh?” he asked, jesting.</p><p>“Water.” Kurapika whispered.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I need fucking<em> water</em>. I need it <em>now.</em>” Kurapika raised his voice promptly. “<em>Give me some water.</em>”</p><p>“<em>Okay</em>, I’ll get you some water!”</p><p>“Now!”</p><p>“<em>I will!</em>” Leorio even sped up a little bit. Entering a block littered with storefronts and markets, they stopped right at a deli. “Stay put.” he commanded.</p><p>“You still never answered my question.” Kurapika said, his voice quieter because the revulsion he was feeling didn’t wane, but grew stronger even though they were no longer driving.</p><p>“What question?”</p><p>“You work for the CIA?” Kurapika questioned cogently, “is that why you have me trapped in your backseat?”</p><p>“Now <em>why </em>would I willingly trap you in my backseat? For what reason? To interrogate you?”</p><p>“You never told me <em>who</em> or <em>what</em> you work for since we’ve met.” Kurapika pressed, “it makes me wonder what you really have to hide.”</p><p>“I-Is that what this is about?!”</p><p>Kurapika had a hand stuck in his purse while questioning Leorio, so he failed to see the knife he pulled out and the other hand releasing his seatbelt so he could pounce on top of Leorio from the backseat and press the knife against his throat.</p><p>“Where are you really taking me?!”</p><p>“The store!” Leorio leaned back, sucking in a sharp breath. Kurapika pressed closer to him, not hesitating to leave the tip of the switchblade inches away from his throat. “Didn’t you say you need <em>water</em>?!”</p><p>“How do you know this isn’t just me testing you?”</p><p>“Because you just asked for water?” Leorio carefully took Kurapika’s hand, “okay, we’re very stressed, and very angry, so let’s take a breather. Okay? No getting stabby.”</p><p>Kurapika’s nausea flared up and he found his hand lowering. Leorio nodding. “Good. Good. Just take a deep breath. I am not a <em>fed</em>. I promise you. I’m just helping your friend out by taking you home because you had a lot to drink. You hear?”</p><p>Kurapika grunted, a hand resting on the door beside Leorio. He tried his best to hold back the bile building up in his throat.</p><p>“Kurapika?” Leorio quickly closed the switchblade in Kurapika’s hand, took it away, and shoved it in his pocket. “You good?”</p><p>The bile steadily rose back up.</p><p>“Fuck.” Leorio rolled down the window quickly. Kurapika scrambled haphazardly on Leorio’s lap and thrusted his head out the window, vomiting everything he ate when he went out to eat with Pairo before they went to Knuckle’s, and everything he drank at the bar.</p><p>“That’s it, that’s it…” Leorio gently rubbed Kurapika’s back. “There we go.” he gagged and averted his gaze away from the mess on the side of his car. “Oh boy.” he whispered, gobsmacked. “Let’s get you some water and gum, okay?”</p><p>Kurapika nodded.</p><p>He allowed Leorio to help him out of the car, step over the vomit on the street, and take him into the deli. He paid for both the gum and the water, the two leaving the store. Kurapika still tripped over every step but insisted that he could walk.</p><p>Maybe it was the bright lights of the store, but it proceeded to make him feel lightheaded and when he left, a faint ringing in his ears pitched louder and he felt numb from head to toe.</p><p>He blacked out and hit the ground a second later.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Kurapika awoke on a couch that wasn’t his.</p><p>A blanket was draped over his body. His eyes opened slowly.</p><p>His stomach was acting up again. As if this situation was already prepared for beforehand— there was a bucket for him to throw up in.</p><p><em>“God.</em>” The water sitting next to him was his salvation, uncapping it and drinking every last drop, uncaring if it spilled all over his shirt. His jacket had been removed, and some of it was stained, unfortunately, just leaving him in his red tube top. Now that he was awake, he had the chance to take in his surroundings, setting down the water bottle.</p><p>He’s greeted by a darkened gray living area, large glass windows to separate this room from the front entrance leading to a flight of stairs and an open view of the floor above from the railing, a hallway sectioned off to what seemed to be the kitchen. Lamp lights hung on the glass pane, tiny, cylinder-shaped hanging lights on the ceiling.</p><p>Kurapika felt like he was trespassing by sitting here.</p><p>This must be none other than Leorio’s home.</p><p>
  <em>This was Leorio’s home.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p><p>No one was in this room. No one but Kurapika. At least, that’s what he thought at first. He peeled the blanket off him, his eyes traced the expensive furniture, the decor, the cleanliness, the gorgeous monochrome palette of the interior design, and then he heard a <em>croak </em>and jumped out of his skin.</p><p>His eyes landed on the large <em>tank </em>sitting off to the farside of the room. This wasn’t a tank. It was a fucking vivarium— that’d be a better word to describe <em>this</em>, as. Kurapika cautiously approached the tank, and he saw a tiny green frog crouched inside the tank, its vocal sac expanding and shrinking with each breath it took.</p><p>“You must be Nog…” Kurapika found himself whispering. Nog stared right back at Kurapika, completely still other than his moving dewlap. Gon told the class everything they needed to know about his pet frog. Kurapika never thought he’d see him in person.</p><p>Standing in this home felt like he was all but tiny in this large chamber. The same size as Nog, even. He lived in a place like <em>this? </em>This certainly wasn’t Pairo’s place— or anyone that he knew— his co-workers lived in the average Yorknew apartment, one they paid far too much for what it’s actually <em>worth</em>— but <em>this place</em>— must be a <em>fortune</em> for what it’s worth.</p><p>He’s wandering down the hall to his left before he knew it, passing through another glass pane that reached the roof of the ceiling and pushing the door open, stumbling into a bathroom. He groped for the light switch, fumbling around until something flicked on and he’s greeted by a vivacious bathroom, <em>marble </em>everywhere and a sleek surface, a glass divided between the shower and the bathtub, the sink across the room.</p><p>He wanted to smack himself at the first thought being how it'd be like having mind-blowingly passionate, sweaty, sensual <em>sex</em> in that shower, this <em>sink</em>, or any surface of this fucking house, really.</p><p>Kurapika twisted the handle to the sink so he could wash his face. All his makeup's smudged anyway and his peach-colored lipstick was smeared at the corner of his lip very unattractively. He'd have to keep the fake lashes, this isn't his bathroom so he didn't have the right tools to take that off. He patted his pockets, realizing that he probably left his bag in the living room. Once he left the bathroom, using a clean hand towel to dry his face off, he took it off his face and found himself staring at a certificate framed up on the wall of the hall he was passing by.</p><p>He felt dizzy all over again the more he stared at it.</p><p>
  <em>Leorio Paladiknight, M.D</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yorknew General Hospital</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Certification.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As a…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>...General Surgeon.</em>
</p><p>The towel slipped from Kurapika’s hands and pooled at his feet.</p><p>“There you are.” Leorio’s voice called out to him, but did nothing to help his dilemma. “I thought you got lost or something.” he’s holding another glass of water.</p><p>Kurapika passed out before he could take another step further.</p><p>The second time tonight.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’ve really gotta stop doing that.”</p><p>Sitting cross-legged on the couch, Kurapika averted his gaze, guilty.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“You gave me a heart attack, y’know?”</p><p>“...Yes.”</p><p>“You must be really dehydrated to pass out not once, but twice tonight.” Leorio handed him another glass of water, using a stool to sit on so he could monitor Kurapika closely.</p><p>His hands were shaking.</p><p>What he saw just an hour ago, was that his imagination? Or was it real?</p><p>It felt <em>very real. </em>It was a certificate from Yorknew General Hospital. It <em>had </em>to be. He saw it with his own two eyes. This wasn’t his drunken delusion, Kurapika was sobered up by now, at least, more than he was before.</p><p>“I made you some soup.” Leorio offered another bowl sitting on the table. It’s steaming hot chicken noodle soup, “you can just drink the soup, if you want. I just added noodles to satisfy your appetite better.”</p><p>“What.” Kurapika allowed Leorio to take his glass away from him, “what happened?”</p><p>“You don’t have a clue what happened last night?”</p><p>“...What time is it now?”</p><p>Leorio flipped his wrist to check his watch. “It is now seven thirty.” he answered. Judging by his change in attire, consisting of a plain black t-shirt and a pair of gray sweats, this was definitely his home they were sitting in. <em>Oh my God, I’m still in his house. </em>Kurapika placed his hands on his forehead, just as Leorio’s holding his bowl of soup.</p><p>“In the morning.” he finished, “you were out-cold for three hours, woke up, saw <em>me</em>, and knocked out again. I hope I didn’t scare you that much.”</p><p>“<em>You’re a surgeon?” </em>The question was <em>random </em>and out of line for the current moment they were in, but Kurapika asked it anyway. Since it’s the first thing that came to mind since he woke up, and the very reason why he probably passed out in the first place. Along with the fact that he hadn’t eaten in a reasonable amount of time.</p><p>“Uh.” Leorio laughed, breathy, <em>and it sounded so good</em>, “Are you disappointed I’m not a fed?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You had a lot to say when we pulled you out of Knuckle’s.”</p><p>“Who’s— who’s we?”</p><p>“Pairo.”</p><p>“Pairo.” Kurapika’s breath quickened, “Oh my God where’s Pairo?” he asked.</p><p>“Hey, hey.” Leorio’s hands are inches away from his shoulders, careful not to startle him any more, “I dropped him off a few hours ago. We went to a store to get you some water because you weren’t feeling well, and then you passed out on the way back to my car.”</p><p>“I went out with Pairo last night.”</p><p>“You did. You also drank. A lot. I came in to talk to Knuckle and I noticed you two were there, and Pairo asked me to help him out.”</p><p>“I see.” Kurapika frowned, “...I called you a <em>fed?<em>”</em></em></p><p>“Among other things, but it’s best that you don’t remember.” Leorio handed him the soup again, “your bag’s right here, by the way.” he cocked his head toward the table where his phone, keys, and purse was left. “I didn’t touch anything, and just let you rest for as long as you needed.”</p><p>Cradling the bowl in his lap, Kurapika looked around. “Where’s Gon?” he asked.</p><p>“Some nights he sleeps over at his aunt’s house. Don’t worry, this’ll be our little secret.” Leorio smiled.</p><p>He curiously looked over at the frog tank.</p><p>“Oh.” Leorio turned around, “I’m not sure if you met Nog yet.”</p><p>“You have a frog.”</p><p>“We do. Gon’s idea. He wouldn’t stop naggin’ me about it, a year ago, we finally get ‘im. He’s a good lil’ guy. He doesn’t bother anybody. He’s actually pretty chill.”</p><p>Sipping his soup quietly, the warmth made Kurapika feel less nauseous and more refreshed. It’s helping the splitting headache he felt at the moment. A hand reached to feel his forehead, Kurapika stiffened. Then he relaxed, smelling old spice when Leorio leaned into his space.</p><p>“At least you’re cooling down a bit.”</p><p>“I’m sorry if I was… a hassle, earlier.”</p><p>“Nah, don’t worry about it.” Leorio laughed, "I mean— <em>you were something</em>— but you were also drunk, so. I’m not gonna grill you for it.”</p><p>Kurapika snorted, “but it’s still embarrassing, nonetheless. I deserve to be berated for any trouble I caused you.”</p><p>“Now why would I do that?”</p><p>“Then can I at least repay you?” Kurapika asked, idly picking off a lint he spotted on Leorio’s shirt— he hadn’t known why he was comfortable enough to do that… but… nothing about it felt wrong, either. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me and I’ve heard countless stories of how I could be when intoxicated, highly—”</p><p>Leorio leaned in further, until he was kneeling on the couch where Kurapika sat. His hand laid flat on Leorio’s chest, uncrossing his legs slightly. His heart pounding in his chest.</p><p>“How <em>can </em>you repay me, hm?” Leorio questioned coyly, his voice dropped an octave in a way that made Kurapika’s stomach lurch— sparking an excitement that’s been long dormant. “The Hell you put me through to get us here.”</p><p>Kurapika swallowed, “it— like I said—” his breath hitched, Leorio’s scent weakened every muscle in his body instantly, his voice wavering, “—I’m taking full responsibility—”</p><p>“—repay me by letting me take care of you.”</p><p>Kurapika laughed, quiet, roused, goosebumps littered on his bare skin at the feeling of Leorio’s body against his— oh <em>God</em> he’d craved this a thousand times over but never this soon, “How kind of you, Mr. Leorio.”</p><p>The distance between them was about to close, Leorio’s breath fanned over his lips. Senses enlightened, Kurapika had forgotten completely the bowl of scorching hot chicken noodle soup in his lap tipped over when Leorio had caged him by kneeling slowly on either side of Kurapika.</p><p>It spilled all over Leorio’s sweats.</p><p><em>“GAH!” </em>The bowl was sent careening to the carpeted ground, Leorio jumped to the right of the couch, “<em>Fuck</em>!”</p><p>Kurapika gasped, the steam from the boiling soup spread from Leorio’s thigh to the couch cushion, the bowl upside down on the floor— noodles and cut vegetables scattered on the ground.</p><p>“Hot, hot, hot!”</p><p>“I’m sorry!”</p><p>“It’s—<em> Christ this is hot</em>— it’s fine!”</p><p>Kurapika found the towel he used earlier, using it to wipe Leorio’s sweats as if it could get <em>rid </em>of the stains completely.</p><p>“Let me— just—” Kurapika rubbed against his sweats, Leorio leaned against the couch with an agonized groan, Kurapika scrambled closer, “I completely forgot that I still had it in my lap. I should’ve put it down.”</p><p>“‘S cool.” Leorio rasped. “Just— <em>ah</em>—”</p><p>“—Somehow I manage to make this worse without even intending to!”</p><p>“—<em>K-Kurapika</em>—”</p><p>“—I’ve already put you through <em>so much </em>misery last night and for the past several hours, please forgive me. I’m being incredibly unprofessional.” Kurapika accidentally brushed against something stiff.</p><p>He paused, staring down at where he was wiping with the dampened towel in his hands.</p><p>Curiously, without thinking, he nudged it again. Leorio twitched, a hand flew to grab Kurapika’s wrist tightly. “Let’s not do that,” he rasped, <em>deliciously</em>, at that— enough for tingles to return in places that shouldn’t be for Kurapika.</p><p>Leorio lifted Kurapika’s hand, gently, and pushed it closer to his own lap.</p><p>Kurapika saw the noticeable tent in Leorio’s sweats. His hand returned to cover it promptly, clearing his throat, cheeks tinted a faint red.</p><p>“Oh.” Was all Kurapika could say. “I didn’t—”</p><p>“—I’d rather spare telling you to stop rubbin’ my dick before I get hard.”</p><p>“—oh my God—”</p><p>“<em>Yeah, </em>oh my God is fuckin’ right.”</p><p>“Leorio!”</p><p>“<em>Is this my fault?!”</em></p><p>“Most certainly!” Kurapika spluttered, “it’s <em>indecent!” </em></p><p>“<em>You did this!”</em></p><p>“I’ve done absolutely nothing and I can’t believe you’d accuse me of such— such— <em>madness</em>!” He gestured to Leorio’s <em>situation</em>, and he shot up from the couch, backing away, “it’s <em>your </em>lack of <em>self-control </em>that resulted in your <em>mishap</em>,” he stumbled over the bowl, <em>then </em>the <em>stool</em>, about to fall right on his head when a hand reached and grabbed his arm, and he’s being yanked upwards, and into Leorio’s arms.</p><p>They met eye contact, the intensity of it all <em>electrifying. </em>Neither of them realized how breathless they were, that the fact that they nearly kissed just several minutes before flew over their heads when Kurapika was so caught up in the fleeting moment of their lips being inches apart.</p><p>“You’re gonna be the death of me.” Leorio whispered, brows raised. “You know that?”</p><p>His body trembled slightly beneath Leorio’s grasp, taking notice of the mess that was caused <em>because </em>of him. “Well I don’t mean to burst your <em>bubble</em>, Mr. Leorio.” an eyebrow twitched, “<em>but the tent in your pants </em>isn’t being very cooperative in this current position.” Kurapika replied icily, cheeks reddened, carefully trying to ignore what was<em> poking</em> him in his thigh.</p><p>“Yeah— right— sorry,” Leorio pulled away, “sorry for trying to save you from hitting your head.”</p><p>Kurapika picked up the stool, then the empty bowl. “I express my gratitude, if that makes you happy. Where do you keep your cleaning products?” he asked, turning around to face Leorio, who grabbed a pillow to cover the front of his sweats as if Kurapika <em>minded </em>staring at it at all to begin with. He didn’t, of course. It’s a large tent. A delightfully large tent. <em>It felt like one, too. </em>He rolled his eyes, keeping his eyes firmly on Leorio’s.</p><p>“Um…” Leorio awkwardly shifted his body and turned up the stairs. “Upstairs. There’s a closet in the bathroom there I got renovated so I can keep all the cleaning products.”</p><p>Kurapika walked ahead of him so he didn’t have to watch him struggle waddling up to the staircase, “Just think about one of your geriatric patients for fuck’s sake.” he muttered.</p><p>“I’m trying!”</p><p>“<em>Try harder.</em>”</p><p>Carpet stains were a hassle to get rid of. But Kurapika realized that the most heaviest duty of cleaning products wouldn’t do the trick, so he had to go old-fashioned, starting with vinegar and baking soda.</p><p>“Gon spills so many things on the carpet all the damn time.” Leorio sighed, “so I’d just get the whole thing replaced with a new one to get rid of the stain completely.”</p><p>“You have the money for that, so of course that wouldn’t be a fucking issue would it?” Kurapika asked, “or you could save hundreds of dollars and soak the carpet with these.” he gestured to the bottle of vinegar and box of baking soda.</p><p>“I-I never seem to know how to get it off completely…”</p><p>“It’s a Google search away, Leorio.” Kurapika stood up, lifting the towel from the stain and tossing it in the cleaning bucket, removing the rubber cleaning gloves off his hands and dropping it on the table, “there. Almost like it was never there.”</p><p>Leorio sat on the ground, leaning against the table. “I mean, I’m gonna replace it anyway. I’m always making changes to the house every two weeks or so ‘cause the place gets damaged when Gon brings his friends over.”</p><p>Kurapika noticed the large wooden board covering up the sliding glass doors to the balcony up the stairs, “is that a result of said damages?”</p><p>“Killua threw a vase at the door and it broke the glass. Zepile said it was an invincible vase or some shit.”</p><p>“Did it break?”</p><p>“The what?”</p><p>“The vase.”</p><p>“No. But the window did.”</p><p>A stretch of silence, then the both of them started laughing. The hilarity of the situation canceled out the awkwardness as a result of the mishap earlier, the mess on the floor cleared up and the bowl was taken back to the kitchen to be washed and hung on the rack to dry.</p><p>“Thanks.” Leorio breathed, once their laughter had died down.</p><p>“Just a cleaning tip from someone who lives in a less fancy apartment of the less fortunate side of Yorknew.”</p><p>“I know what you’re thinkin’. I fuckin’ live <em>here</em>, with my kid, huh?”</p><p>“With your pet frog.”</p><p>Leorio snorted. “You expected me to live in a mansion?”</p><p>“I don’t know, this still surprises me regardless.”</p><p>“It’s… not exactly compact, but, it’s enough. I don’t want anything too big. It might be worth the money, but I’m a bit of a minimalist. Less is better.”</p><p>Nog’s gentle croaking awkwardly cut into their conversation.</p><p>“I feel like I’m intruding.” Kurapika teased, “...well, I should go.”</p><p>“He’s just hungry.” Leorio said, “but— uh—” he stood up after Kurapika did, reaching for his jacket that was left folded next to him on the couch, it wasn’t there the first time he woke up, meaning he must’ve brought it here. “I’ll drop you back.”</p><p>“Are you sure? I don’t want to put you through even more trouble. I feel like I’m just radiating the worst of luck from last night’s consequences.” Kurapika joked. Pairo’s never going to let him live down whatever the fuck happened either, he didn’t want to hear it.</p><p>“I’ve gotta pick up my lil’ frog anyway.” Leorio said, “...don’t worry, I showered and had breakfast.” Kurapika felt bad he was even asleep for that long, “I just need to get changed.”</p><p>“That’s— that’s fine,” Kurapika nodded. “Do you mind if I wait outside?”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>Kurapika walked the wrong way, which was left, and<em> away</em> from the front entrance. He forgot where the front door was. To be fair, he didn’t remember coming in here, and it’s his first time wandering Leorio’s house.</p><p>He awkwardly turned around, facing Leorio again.</p><p>“Where’s—”</p><p>Leorio snapped his fingers to his right, the fancy glass wall and the opening leading right into the front porch and the double doors up front awaited Kurapika. He flashed a small, bashful smile, his eyes glanced over the alarm system hooked up at the door, the camera, and the buzzer.</p><p>As soon as he went outside, standing in front of the door, he pulled his phone out to text Pairo. He texted so fast with his shaking fingers that it took him time to formulate a proper text message.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [8:45 A.M]: </strong>PAIRO IW ONTHE FUCKING BETF;</p><p><strong>Pairo [8:45 A.M]: </strong>wut</p><p><strong>Kurapika [8:45 A.M]: </strong>I WOFN</p><p><strong>Pairo [8:45 A.M]: </strong>damn bitch speak english</p><p><strong>Kurapika [8:45 A.M]: </strong>I WON THE BET</p><p><strong>Kurapika [8:45 A.M]: </strong>HE’S GOT A CERTIFICATE FOR GENERAL SURGERY ON THE WALL OF HIS HOUSE</p><p><strong>Kurapika [8:45 A.M]: </strong>HE’S A SURGEON, PAIRO</p><p>A text bubble appeared, then vanished. This proceeded for about another three minutes.</p><p><strong>Pairo [8:48 A.M]: </strong>brb, texting the teachers chat asap.</p><p>The group chat was sent a single message from Pairo.</p><p>
  <em>Everyone come to Knuckle’s tmr with $100. Pika just won the bet.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Motherfuckin hot dad is a SURGEON</em>
</p><p>The door opened, Kurapika greeted by Leorio in a gray sweater, a blue collared shirt beneath, denim black jeans and dark brown chukka boots. His shaggy hair from earlier swept back with mild gel, still a little mussed, and Kurapika wanted to run his hands through them and continue where they left off from earlier— and he had to scold himself for forgetting that they were meant to have a strictly professional relationship not only for Gon’s sake but for <em>their </em>sake, and for Kurapika’s sanity.</p><p>And he ended up stumbling drunkenly in his luxury home, passed out twice, and spilled chicken noodle soup on his carpet.</p><p>Whatever karma he caused last night, he probably deserved the embarrassment. That of which, included feeling Leorio’s raging boner while he wiped soup off his <em>stupid sexy gray sweats</em>— all because they were about to <em>kiss</em>.</p><p>“Ready to go?” Leorio asked. While the group chat was bound to start blowing up, Kurapika decided to ignore it, for now. He nodded.</p><p>“Of course.” Kurapika responded calmly.</p><p>Leorio offered to buy him coffee to help with his hangover. Kurapika figured he’d bring it up on the way back to his place.</p><p>“—Listen—”</p><p>“—<em>about earlier</em>—”</p><p>They both looked at each other.</p><p>“—I just—”</p><p>“—We should forget what happened.” Leorio finished.</p><p>“Yeah, we should.” Kurapika agreed. Leorio rubbed his scruffy jaw, laughing sheepishly. Kurapika laughed as well.</p><p>“It was stupid.”</p><p>“It was.”</p><p>“You… you don’t have to worry about repayin’ me. Helpin’ me clean my carpet’s more than enough.” Leorio said.</p><p>“I should thank you for taking care of me.” Kurapika added, “I mean— well— I probably ruined your night, and you had other plans. I can’t thank you enough. But I must.”</p><p>“Just worry about getting rid of that hangover, and text Pairo that you’re home safe and that you’re alright. He’s probably worried. Doctor’s orders.” Leorio winked. Kurapika was about to melt into his seat. He’s a sweetheart, and he put him through so much <em>Hell </em>it was upsetting, that this man deserved to be dragged through the dirt because Kurapika felt the need to drink too much and vent about his problems. It’s not fair that Leorio refused to let Kurapika repay him. He had every right to. He deserved that much.</p><p>“Right…” He’s still in his clothes from last night and felt gross, matter of fact, he’s glad he didn’t kiss Leorio— or— <em>imagine</em>— that they didn’t go any further than that and the chicken noodle soup was a fucking warning, a spiritual sign, that they should carefully consider what treading on this dangerous territory meant. He could still smell the dried vomit on his shirt and figured he’d leave now. “Have a good day, Mr. Leorio.”</p><p>“You too, Kurapika.” Leorio handed him another pen, "oh, a special gift from my <em>office, </em>if you need any more proof I'm not a <em>fed</em>."</p><p>"I'll have to build a collection." Kurapika took it gladly, and shut the car door.</p><p>He took a long sip of the coffee Leorio bought him, savoring the sweetened taste. Then he curiously looked at the pen, noticing that it had the words <em>Leorio Paladiknight, M.D </em>printed on it with a phone number written underneath in blue text to match the color of the pen's accents. This is the office's phone number.</p><p>This was specifically a pen from his <em>office… </em>meaning all those supplies of pens, hand sanitizers, markers and highlighters he's been giving to Kurapika was probably from the <em>hospital </em>he worked at. This being a gift personally from his office.</p><p>Kurapika's face reddened.</p><p>Some of these pens used to sit on Leorio's desk and Kurapika now <em>used them</em> when he worked on things in his classroom.</p><p>No wonder why Gon had pointed out the hand sanitizer <em>instantly </em>when he'd seen it.</p><p>He’s about to enter the building when he heard someone chasing after him, turning around and meeting Leorio up close, startled at his heavy breathing.</p><p>“You—” Leorio wheezed out, “—you forgot this.” he handed Kurapika his switchblade. “This was the knife you tried to stab me with last night, y’know, during the interrogation of you accusing me of being a fed.”</p><p>Kurapika took the switchblade back, smiling sweetly— wanting to die on the inside. “I did, didn’t I? Thank you.” he laughed, “I almost forgot,” he completely forgot.</p><p>As soon as Leorio was out of sight, gone, and Kurapika was back in his apartment— he dialed Pairo’s number immediately.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Kurapika didn’t elaborate on the details of how he won the bet. But he didn’t tick off anything that’d be considered against the rules since he hadn’t asked anyone, or Leorio himself, instead— he stumbled into his home by chance and saw his certificate on the <em>wall</em> next to a couple other picture frames he paid no mind to because he was busy losing his mind that he <em>won </em>at all.</p><p>They had Melody feel his hands while he explained the story to detect if he was telling the truth and he <em>was</em>, and by Shalnark’s standards, it counted for a win since it wasn’t coaxed out of anyone and happened by pure coincidence. Kurapika was just fucking lucky, and he had a big incentive to show that. Everyone was still livid, because they thought that their guess would end up being right. It wasn’t. If it made them feel better, though Kurapika would rather die than admit that out loud, he accused Leorio of being a <em>federal investigator</em>— while attempting to stab him for thinking he was being kidnapped.</p><p>“C’mon, Pika!” Pairo consoled him, he sulked about this even when they went bowling for the night together. Kurapika’s head on the counter, wallowing in self-pity. “Lighten up!”</p><p>“I called him an FBI agent.”</p><p>“And you ended up at his house. <em>Almost getting dick</em>. It was worth the outcome.”</p><p>“Was it really?”</p><p>“Sounds like more of a W.”</p><p>Kurapika lifted his head, “<em>what </em>is a <em>W</em>?”</p><p>Pairo rolled his eyes, “I can see why you both turned it down. Dads are complicated. They have non-existent sex lives. You see how easy it must be to pop a boner over cleaning soup off someone’s pants.”</p><p>“I think I might have to relocate and move back home before I die of embarrassment.”</p><p>“Don’t be such a drama queen.”</p><p>Kurapika sipped his glass of beer, picking at another chicken tender. “Let’s bowl some more so I don’t feel like shit.”</p><p>“Halloween’s coming up. You know what means, <em>YHE</em> time!” Pairo averted the topic. “Spend that new money of yours you got from our special little bet on a new costume! Oooor a new vibrator, after like, the one you threw out the window.”</p><p>“I will crush your head with this bowling ball.” Kurapika lifted up a red bowling ball, aiming down the lane, and he made a shot at the pins.</p><p>Strike.</p><p>“Nice.” Pairo high-fived him.</p><p>“Why can’t I just dress up as Alucard again?”</p><p>“You dressed up as him last year. And the year before. It wasn’t even part of the theme either!”</p><p>Every year Yorknew elementary preferred that their teachers and students wear costumes according to a theme they decided on by vote, much like spirit week, students were given the creative freedom to dress down as they please, and recommended that it met the standards the theme asked of them.</p><p>This year’s theme— video game characters.</p><p>Netero just loved to have fun, which was why everyone loved him as principal. But his way of having fun meant the suffering of their staff members because participation was usually mandatory or the people who didn’t dress up were asked to be included in a photo titled <em>The Loser Club</em>— dedicated to building a collection of the years someone decided to not be part of the Halloween costume tradition and have their picture taken of their miserable face and boring outfit— because Netero said that’s what <em>losers </em>did. It’s no question that Feitan was part of these photos.</p><p>So to avoid extreme embarrassment that resides on the gallery wall of the school’s third floor, next to the trophy collection of the sports’ teams numerous victories, <em>you must dress down </em>for Yorknew’s Halloween Dress Down Extravaganza— as the head board called it, shortened to <em>YHE </em>for short.</p><p>Kurapika had no other sense of style other than gothic vampirism when it came to Halloween outfits.</p><p>He allowed Pairo to drag him to the Halloween stores that opened up in the city so he could decide for him what he should wear.</p><p>They settled on a <em>Link </em>costume, because Pairo wanted to be Zelda. Kurapika didn’t argue with that. He’s not very knowledgeable on video games and just googled what was convenient for the theme, so he’s glad he had Pairo for assistance.</p><p>The week of Halloween, the excitement flooding the halls couldn’t be contained as the day slowly approached. Everyone was talking of plans and Kurapika had none, so he blissfully ignored them. The Monday morning on his commute to school he entered through the playground, noticing that there was a backpack sitting underneath the jungle gym.</p><p>He frowned, wondering if someone was here early. It wasn’t that the yard was empty. Morning pick-up happened here as early as seven o’clock. He thought someone was sitting there alone, so something prompted him to walk over and ask what they were doing here all alone.</p><p>But when he approached the playground, there was no one there. Just a backpack, a couple snack wrappers, a toy or two. Strange. Was this lost? But who would <em>leave a backpack </em>here on accident? The lost and found was littered with forgotten items but everyone brought their backpacks with them wherever they went.</p><p>Maybe the student would come back for it. They still had time before the first period. Kurapika left it there.</p><p>The day proceeded to get stranger when it was time for the kids to enter the classroom for first period, and he noticed Killua and Gon rush into the room, Killua having the same exact type of backpack.</p><p>He’s seen kids share the same backpacks all the time, it wasn’t uncommon. So Kurapika left it alone.</p><p>“Morning Mr. Kurta!” all the children greeted gleefully.</p><p>“Morning,” Kurapika smiled, dropping his own backpack on his chair. He looked at Killua specifically, “morning Killua,” he said, because he didn’t hear a morning from the boy.</p><p>Blushing slightly, Killua averted his gaze. “Morning.” he huffed, and he turned around to follow Gon to their table.</p><p>He usually avoided saying good morning all together, but this was a start.</p><p>After their lunch period and recess, they had an assessment. Kurapika surveyed around the room, subtly keeping a close eye on Killua. He spotted a dark bruise on the back of his neck, and he halted in his patrol.</p><p>He noticed Killua wasn’t actually doing the assessment, but drawing on his paper instead. Upon looking over everyone’s finished work after dismissal, he saw the drawing.</p><p>Nothing else was amiss about the boy, because he and Gon happily chatted with their little group of friends they’ve made in their class like normal. But the day after, there’d be another bruise. Kurapika spotted one beneath his left eye when Gon told him that they were going to be dressing up as <em>food</em> for Halloween because they called themselves the <em>Pickled Pepper </em>squad.</p><p>Leorio sent him texts saying that Gon threw a tantrum in the middle of a Spirit Halloween because he suddenly didn’t want to dress up as a frog anymore, which was <em>shocking</em>, he came in frog merch practically every single day— his reason being that he wanted to match with Killua, who agreed to dress up as broccoli if Gon dressed up as a <em>carrot. </em>Humoring, to say the least. Zushi as sushi, Ponzu as grapes, Pokkle as a hamburger, Canary as a donut, Meruem and Komugi dressing up as matching ice creams.</p><p>Leorio invested in the costume and everything, his disappointment was fair when a second later Gon changed his mind and insisted that he be a carrot completely out of the blue.</p><p>"Do you like broccoli, Killua?" Kurapika asked curiously.</p><p><em>"No." </em>Killua answered hotly. "I hate it. But because Gon asked I'll dress up as one."</p><p>"Best friend oath!" Gon lifted his and Killua's bracelets, "now we have to do whatever we ask each other."</p><p>"Like marriage." Canary teased.</p><p>"It's not!" Killua argued.</p><p>"I thought Gon said so."</p><p>"Keep teasing me and I'll tell Amane about your crush."</p><p>Canary turned beet red and this was the first time Kurapika saw her blush, smacking Killua on the arm. "You can't." she warned.</p><p>"Can too!"</p><p>"Can not!"</p><p>"Can Meruem and I get married?" Komugi asked Gon through their back-and-forth bickering.</p><p>"Sure!" Gon said, "anyone can!"</p><p>"...I also wanna make a friendship bracelet like that. It's really pretty."</p><p>"Me too." Pokkle said, "uh, n-not a friendship bracelet though... a bracelet you make when you like someone."</p><p>"I can teach you guys." Gon offered. That's when Zushi perked up and said he wanted one, for himself, which Killua pointed out as a blatant lie.</p><p>The last assignment for the day was Kurapika asking them what they were going to wear for YHE day and have them write it down on a piece of paper to practice their writing skills and comprehension, and a short sentence why. They curiously asked him if Halloween was part was Kurtan tradition and disappointed when Kurapika said they just didn't celebrate that, but they had plenty of festivities similar to the way people trick-or-treated today. The curriculum for their grade wasn't suitable for in-depth detail about Kurtan culture and history and he usually just kept it to basic facts, but they often asked a lot of questions, like what certain words meant in the language, how many descendants were there, and he kept it to a factoid or two a day to keep their interests at bay.</p><p>He sat at Gon's table, making it his objective to keep a close eye on Killua, making a paper bird and all the students in the classroom crowded around their table to watch Kurapika make a verbal demonstration. He noticed the way Killua's eyes swirled with admiration when Kurapika finished.</p><p>He quizzed them on a question regarding their learning on Kurtan traditions, and Killua was surprisingly the first person to answer correctly.</p><p>"Here you go." Kurapika handed him the paper bird. His eyes lit up, and Kurapika smiled.</p><p>"Aw man!" Zushi sighed, "Can we do another one?!"</p><p>"Please please please please!" It was a fun exercise to get them going, but class time was over in another fifteen minutes.</p><p>"We have to clean up." <em>Aw's </em>and groans filtered the classroom. "We have ten minutes. First person to finish gets two candies from the jar."</p><p>They bolted away and scattered so fast it was hilarious.</p><p>Kurapika made another bird before dismissal time. He had a plan.</p><p>"I'm going to throw this." Kurapika whispered to Gon the moment Leorio showed up at the front entrance, but someone stopped by to talk to him. Some other dad he made buddies with. "Would you guys like to see something cool?"</p><p>The group of kids who hadn't left yet nodded excitedly. Kurapika tossed the bird Leorio's way. It soared above all the heads, completely unsuspecting, then Leorio spotted it. He quickly ran after it and grabbed it. </p><p>"Okay, go, go, go." Kurapika motioned for the rest of the kids to go outside, Gon included. He smiled to himself, slipping into the classroom unnoticed so Leorio didn't find out that he was the one that threw it.</p><p>He noticed Killua was the last to grab his stuff and leave the classroom.</p><p>"You're not going home with Gon today?"</p><p>"No." Killua mumbled.</p><p>"...Your face." Kurapika asked. He bent down. Killua turned his head. "Killua, look at me." he said quietly.</p><p>Killua refused, so Kurapika tilted his chin with his fingers.</p><p>"Where'd you get this?" his thumb brushed over the scratch on his cheek.</p><p>"It's nothing."</p><p>"Are you sure?"</p><p>"I got it during recess."</p><p>Kurapika didn't want to press too much. "Do you want me to walk you to the auditorium to your siblings?"</p><p>At least Killua didn't turn down the offer, Kurapika taking his hand and leading him to the auditorium. </p><p>"Killy!" Alluka caught his attention. Canary's busy talking with another girl from another class, Amane, so she didn't notice Killua walk in. His sisters barreled right into him with hugs, dragging him to where they were sitting.</p><p>He had a smile on his face when they asked him to play with them until Kalluto arrived. They had flute practice after school with Melody, so they were late sometimes.</p><p>Leorio never brought up the incident.</p><p>It was instantly forgotten and they’d see each other during pickup and dismissal with no means of speaking of it. Gon absolutely <em>shouldn’t </em>know that Kurapika spent the night over there because he passed out from drinking, and it’s good that he was at his aunt’s house.</p><p>...And Leorio shouldn’t know about the bet on where he worked at no matter the cost.</p><p>Suddenly it felt like more pressure was put on Kurapika when they breached levels of intimacy that were deemed to overstep boundaries for <em>many, many </em>reasons. As long as Leorio didn’t know then it should make him feel less guilty, yet it was the complete opposite, because it turned out that he liked Leorio.</p><p>A little more than he should, considering his position of authority and Leorio’s, as Gon’s primary caretaker, and his <em>father. </em></p><p>“Who even cares?” Pairo consoled him in the staff room the next afternoon to ease his worries, “I thought you didn’t care that much about the bet.”</p><p>“I was still part of it!” Kurapika claimed. “What if he thinks I’m a gold digger? What do I do then?”</p><p>“He won’t know as long as you don’t tell him, which I know you wouldn’t.”</p><p>“I still feel awful about it.”</p><p>“Ask yourself if you wanted to get to know him because you wanted like, a couple hundred bucks, or if you just thought he was cute.” Pairo said, “you did almost kiss, you flirt all the time in front of his kid, you two practically eyefuck each other when he shows up that all the other moms glare at you for it. I mean,” Pairo snorted, “...<em>you were never in this </em>for the bet, Pika. You’re not fooling anybody but yourself.”</p><p>Pairo had a point.</p><p>The money was the incentive.</p><p>But he didn’t take an interest in Leorio <em>for </em>the money, not at all. He liked him for his kindness, selflessness, his sense of humor, the love he held for his son, all the effort he put into sponsoring for their school, his genuine <em>involvement</em>.</p><p>And he <em>is </em>cute. A bonus, if Kurapika may add.</p><p><em>Still the father of his student</em>— which raised red flags, and was the elephant in the room that needed to be addressed constantly at each impure thought Kurapika had about the man.</p><p>“Forget it.” Kurapika said, “we’re not doing anything further. We agreed that we wouldn’t, and that’s final.”</p><p>“Suit yourself.” Pairo sipped from his mug.</p><p>“Alright,” Machi stormed into the staff room, fuming, “<em>who was the wise-ass </em>that put it in the complaint box?!”</p><p>“What now?” Phinks asked, flipping through a magazine.</p><p>“<em>Y-You know!” </em>She spluttered.</p><p>“We don’t.” Shizuku answered.</p><p>Machi looked around, seeming grateful that a certain someone wasn’t in the room with them and left to the copy room to print a few things. “That Pakunoda and I need to <em>bone</em>!”</p><p>The room collectively went silent, save for a few snorts.</p><p>“I thought the complaint box was for complaints.” Kite said. “Why is it that the last time someone put in a tip talking about Nobunaga having a foot fetish?”</p><p>“<em>Which I don’t.” </em>Nobunaga replied defensibly.</p><p>The complaint box was used for the sole purpose of improvements to the school in general and addressing issues that needed to be discussed in future meetings. About a week ago, someone began adding in things into the box that were addressed by Palm, one of the secretaries, about dirty little secrets and rumors about the Yorknew staff that they’d find out about by word of mouth. Bisky’s erotic fanfiction was exposed, Netero having a God awful foot fungus, Uvogin and Shalnark's poor attempts at being <em>subtle</em> with where they run off to (see: the janitor's closet, the teacher's restroom), whatever the fuck Feitan and Phinks have going on, who among the staff went as far as to egg Chrollo's car (which to be fair, it was a Prius. That's asking for it.) Cheadle attempting to put a hit on Pariston, Hisoka fucking one of the Zoldyck brothers, Kurapika having the hots for <em>LP</em>— it was like everyone’s secrets were being exposed left and right. The sexual tensions among the staff, the secret beef people had with each other, things kept on the hush hush said out loud.</p><p>The powers of the complaint box were being abused, and it only got worse from there.</p><p>“Or the tip about Pariston having herpes.” Uvogin snorted.</p><p>“Is that true?” Shizuku asked.</p><p>“I mean.” Basho shrugged, “would we put it past the guy?”</p><p>“Real fucking funny!” Machi laughed, heated, “Since we’re using the complaint box to talk shit about people now, when I find out who’s doing it, you’re a deadman.”</p><p>“The tip ain’t wrong.” Phinks said, “it speaks the truth. It’s like an oracle.”</p><p>“Fuck you Phinks.” Machi stormed out of the room. Phinks laughed, approaching the coffee machine to pour himself a cup of coffee, and he drank it.</p><p>Then he proceeded to spit it out all over the staff room while everyone was talking about the drama the complaint box had caused.</p><p>“Who the fuck put diet Coke in the coffee machine?!” Phinks blanched.</p><p>“Hehe. Got you this time.” Feitan chuckled.</p><p>Phinks reddened with fury, “<em>you’re fucking dead</em>.”</p><p>Feitan bolted from his chair and left the room, Phinks trailed after him.</p><p>“Get over here you little bastard!”</p><p>“I wonder who’s doing it.” Shizuku hummed.</p><p>“Doing what?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“The complaint box stuff.”</p><p>“It’s just stupid pranks.” Franklin said, “don’t take it seriously.” he left the room with his small cup of yogurt for someone his size.</p><p>“Foot fetish.” Nobunaga cackled, “get real.” he left the room as well, discomfort washed over his face the moment he turned around.</p><p>“I have a bad feeling about this.” Kurapika told Melody.</p><p>“Huh?” she’s too busy playing another rhythm game on her phone to catch what Kurapika had said to her.</p><p>"Oh my God, this is so bad. Like," Pairo turned to Kurapika, "imagine if my secret that totally got out about the time I put laxatives in Sabrina's cup at the teacher's mixer last year? Or the blowjob Bibi gave to Tai at the back of the pep rally which I totally did not see on purpose. No one can know about that."</p><p>That was two huge bombs that just dropped, Kurapika was speechless. "I..." </p><p>"No one's safe anymore. But like. Everyone's always gossiping and talking shit about each other here. So like. It could be a revenge thing. Anybody could know your secret. This could tear our happy big family apart."</p><p>"We wouldn't be a happy big family if everyone's screwing each other and being petty." Kurapika said, "I think <em>dysfunctional</em> is the right word."</p><p>"Did I tell anyone any secrets?" Shizuku hummed, "...I don't remember." she tapped her chin.</p><p>"That's because you don't remember anything." Basho reminded her gently.</p><p>"Right! But what I do remember is Basho's love-letters to his ex-wife who works here!" Shizuku said. Kite choked on his drink. Basho appeared immensely uncomfortable, fiddling with his poetry book for a couple seconds before he gathered his composure.</p><p>"Somebody's gotta get rid of that damn complaint box." He stood up from his seat and shuffled awkwardly out of the room.</p><p>"Do you have any secrets, Kite?" Shizuku asked.</p><p>"Yeah, don't be shy. Tell us." Pairo smiled sweetly. "You can't hide it, y'know. There's eyes. Everywhere." he said ominously. </p><p>The volume in the room mainly came from Melody's rhythm game.</p><p>"Yes!" She cheered quietly, then she looked up. "Oh I'm very sorry. What are we talking about?"</p><p>"Hmm. Well I did shoplift at Walmart." Kite shrugged. "Somehow that got under the radar."</p><p>"That's... surprising, but also, big corporations are your enemy. So that's reasonable. At least you don't have anything to worry about." Kurapika said.</p><p>"So bad!" Pairo applauded. "What about you, Mel? One dirty little secret that you've done that's not your proudest moment?"</p><p>"Do you guys remember that film Chrollo presented during film week last year? For his thesis?"</p><p>"Who doesn't? It was horrible." Kurapika said. "Who's genius idea was it to add film into the school's curriculum, what would these children gain from the shitshows cis, straight white men think is a cultural reset?"</p><p>"Well I might've been the one who wrote that anonymous review on my one-star rating for it's terrible music composition, like, as a music producer and a composer, it was terrible."</p><p>"Somebody had to." Pairo laughed, "I didn't know that was you, though. Really. That movie was awful. It didn't even have no meaning, just black and white nonsense and a bunch of random clips put together."</p><p>"You're all telling secrets now. The issue that I have with that film making bastard's no secret, yet he's worshipped like he can part the seven seas when his ability to make film is dogshit. Pretty sure everyone knows about me and <em>LP </em>because they proudly claim I have a crush on him. He's the parent of one of my students. I could never." Kurapika snorted.</p><p>Pairo casually sipped his coffee mug, folding a piece of paper in his hand of something he wrote unbeknownst to everyone else. He stood up. “Mhm, keep tellin' yourself that hun. Gotta take a leak.” he whispered, placing the mug in the sink and leaving the room.</p><p>"<em>I don't.</em>" Kurapika told everyone else. They gave him a look that was of pure <em>doubt</em>. He rolled his eyes, and his phone dinged in his lab while he bit into his Subway sandwich.</p><p>Leorio sent him a selfie.</p><p>Kurapika stopped breathing for a moment.</p><p><strong>LP [12:34 P.M]: </strong>hanging out with my favorite patient. [img] </p><p>He’s dressed in blue scrubs, blood stains on them, throwing up a sign of the horns and a lopsided smile while the right side of the camera showed a bearded man wearing a red bandanna around his head, rings on his fingers and a gold chain around his neck, crouched in a pose and throwing up a gang sign with his left hand. Kurapika's positive that must be a gang member Leorio had as a patient.</p><p>...He was also completely missing his right arm.</p><p><strong>LP [12:34 P.M]: </strong>as long as no one's personal info's being exposed I'm sure I'm not violating too much HIPAA laws.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [12:34 P.M]: </strong>please don't tell me that's a gang member.</p><p><strong>LP [12:34 P.M]: </strong>..........how'd u kno</p><p><strong>Kurapika [12:34 P.M]: </strong>believe it or not, i've taught students caught up in street gangs probably as young as twelve. depressing, i know. but i know a lot of things i wish i didn't.</p><p><strong>LP [12:37 P.M]:</strong> well surprisingly im on good terms with a lot of these folks. i come from the same hood as some of them. besides. if i don't treat them they'd probably put a gun to my head so im not gonna take any risks with that! this guy's p alright! he's a difficult one but im the only one who can handle him.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [12:37 P.M]: </strong>So you're not just a doctor, but a mob doctor.</p><p><strong>LP [12:37 P.M]:</strong> no one else will even think about treating them if i don't, so i guess you can say sort of! but, that's a secret between us. ;)</p><p><strong>LP [12:37 P.M]: </strong>don't worry about me, i'll be alright. he's in the bathroom now while im doing assessments. what r u up to, sunshine?</p><p>He lifted his phone camera, giving a somewhat positively dull facial expression, tilting his head a bit to snap a photo— <em>he knew how to take good selfies, </em>sometimes, shut up.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [12:40 P.M]: </strong>just now hearing about fresh new “tea” about the school’s complaint box which is now being used as a gossip column. as of now we're talking about our own shameless secrets to feel better about ourselves, i think.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [12:40 P.M]: </strong>[img]</p><p><strong><strong>LP [12:42 P.M]: </strong></strong>Like The Shade Room? Lmaoooo</p><p><strong>Kurapika [12:42 P.M]: </strong>The what.</p><p><strong>LP [12:42 P.M]: </strong>You’re really cute, you know that?</p><p>Kurapika didn’t understand what that fucking meant, throughout the rest of the day. He kept thinking about that text Leorio sent.</p><p>He made a note to ask Pairo what this <em>Shade Room </em>was, however, his explanation didn't fucking help one bit.</p><p>Cheadle asked him to accompany her to Bisky's office to help make a few copies.</p><p>"By the way," Cheadle said, "the stuff that you read in that complaint box. Trust me, I would never." she laughed.</p><p>Phinks said that everything put in that box had been confirmed true at some point, so Kurapika doubted that. "It's just gossip." he vaguely agreed.</p><p>"I mean we all hate Pariston but I'd never go that far." Cheadle said.</p><p>"I... I see."</p><p>Cheadle stepped closer to Kurapika, "don't tell anyone."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Hello Bisky!" Cheadle flashed a smile at the other woman in the office, Kurapika left gawking as if she didn't just tell them that she actually did try to put a hit on someone. Kurapika went ahead and made copies after Cheadle handed the stack of papers to him.</p><p>Some random guy with a visitor's pass walked in while they talked.</p><p>"Ooh, cupcakes." He stuck his hand in the open cupcake case next to the printer. Kurapika stared at him. The man nodded at him like they were friends, or something. </p><p>"This shit is bangin'." he said, "hey." he said to Cheadle and Bisky.</p><p>"What're you doing here, Ging?" Cheadle asked tiredly.</p><p>"I'm here to pick up someone."</p><p>"You didn't even know you had a nephew who went here until like, last week." Bisky frowned.</p><p>Ging finished eating his cupcake, "Oh no, not him. Someone else. Tell him I said hey, what's up. Is Pariston workin' today?"</p><p>Pariston walked in with another teacher, because suddenly everyone had business in this office. Kurapika kept on trying to mind his own business, but the tension was so thick you can cut it with machete. What the fuck went on in this elementary school was beyond him.</p><p>"You." Pariston's face fell when the teacher merely grabbed his stuff he left in here and left.</p><p>Ging sized him up and down. "Hey sexy."</p><p>"What're <em>you </em>doing back in town?"</p><p>"Are you free later tonight?"</p><p>"I'd rather drink poison."</p><p>"I'd rather have a drink with you."</p><p>"God, I hate you."</p><p>"I hate you too. Have dinner with me."</p><p>Watching the exchange back and forth with wide eyes, the printer awkwardly kept making copies by Kurapika. </p><p>"Go to Hell." Pariston turned and walked out of the room.</p><p>"Did you really think that'd work out as easily as you thought?" Cheadle asked, "when you're in town for like a week at most before you vanish for God knows how long?"</p><p>"I dunno what you mean," Ging shrugged, "he said yes. So." he took another cupcake, "a'ight, see y'all around." he exited the room casually.</p><p>"That was a <em>yes</em>?" Bisky asked.</p><p>"Apparently." Cheadle muttered.</p><p>"Who." Kurapika watched the doorway even after the man was gone, "who was that?"</p><p>"Gon's very distant long lost uncle, actually." Cheadle replied, and she took the finished copies from Kurapika. "Also no one important." she added airily, leaving the classroom. </p><p>Kurapika kept learning new things about these people every fucking <em>day. </em></p><p>
  
</p><p>YHE day arrived.</p><p>Kurapika’s dressed in his Link costume and he felt like a clown was staring back at him in the mirror.</p><p>"You look great!" Pairo said. "Obviously I'm going to slay everyone in <em>this,</em>" he did a twirl, because Kurapika knew that his best friend was the most extra ass bitch he's ever met, ever since they decided to reenact the music video to <em>Beautiful Liar</em> in Pairo's AC-less bedroom when they were thirteen on a weekend night while his parents were downstairs, and that's why they're friends (<em>I'm being Beyoncé, obviously.</em> He said.) "But since we're matching, you have to be on my level." he flipped his hair, not his actual hair, because he was wearing a long, dark brown wig. His Zelda cosplay nothing short of <em>perfection. </em>They were both wearing elf ears, so there's that, but Pairo didn't hesitate to go all out. </p><p>"I look ridiculous." Kurapika said, "but you, on the other hand, you look gorgeous. I have no competition here."</p><p>"Aw, thank you! I already knew that."</p><p>"Why are you so insufferable?"</p><p>"Born this way."</p><p>"I can't have him see me like this."</p><p>"You absolutely will. You look really good. People would wanna fuck a hot Link. Why not?" Pairo handed Kurapika his car keys, "I have to do last minute makeup touchups. You're driving bitch."</p><p>Kurapika hesitantly took the keys and sighed. He wished Halloween didn’t have to fall on a work day.</p><p>Pairo took selfies, forcing Kurapika into them while he gave the camera a dead, tired stare. He's really feeling himself and Kurapika's <em>not feeling </em>this at all.</p><p>"Hi Link! Hi Zelda!" Many of his students were knowledgeable about pop culture more than Kurapika was. Pairo's waving like this was a fucking red carpet show, and Kurapika just trailed behind him, forcing a smile on his face. </p><p>He's not surprised the majority of the grade schoolers here managed to dress down in their costumes for the special occasion. He spent a ridiculous amount of money on this outfit and didn't stick to a cheap, basic one. He even renovated the entire basic design into something that's more defined to his tastes, YouTube DIY's were a blessing. Apparently, this is how people <em>cosplay</em>. He had to call his mother for a few sewing tips before he lost his fucking mind and she was of great assistance. </p><p>"There's your honey." Pairo winked. "You got this." he headed to the staircase for his classroom, leaving Kurapika to his own devices.</p><p>"I didn't know Hyrule's greatest warrior was a teacher part-time."</p><p>Kurapika's gaze landed on, if not <em>the sexiest,</em> Solid Snake costume he's ever seen. Tight leather, <em>skin tight</em> leather, delectable looking harnesses. The headband tied around his forehead, his glasses weren't on at the moment, the heavy boots on his feet. Of course, he's holding Gon's hand, the boy in question dressed in a cute carrot costume. The costume he had put Leorio through Hell to get. One of the security guards took one good look at Leorio and walked right into a wall, falling to the floor. It wasn't just him, though, everyone passing by was looking. Might as well play <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfp-xBen2ng"><strong><em>Sexyback</em></strong></a> in the background.</p><p>Kurapika never wanted to be slammed against a wall and made out with so badly. But he was working for a paycheck, so he had to pretend as if none of did altered his brain chemistry into something very deranged with thoughts that'd put him back to church.</p><p>"Good morning, Mr. Paladiknight!" Kurapika presented himself, and he thought whipping his sword out from his back which was quite <em>serrated</em>, would be a good idea like he were actually some swordsman bred from a legendary warrior, and Leorio instantly ducked because Kurapika had nearly sliced off another teacher's witch hat on accident. <em>Fuck.</em> "Sorry!" he apologized. She glared at him icily before storming off.</p><p>"Close one!" Leorio laughed.</p><p>"Cool!" Gon's eyes sparkled, "do it again!"</p><p>"I will not!" Kurapika said, just as enthusiastic.</p><p>"Wow that is... a really cool replica. It almost looks like the real thing." Leorio examined the sword.</p><p>Kurapika quickly sheathed the sword before someone's head got cut off. "Thank you. It's meant to be for show, I don't want to get fired for stabbing someone. Pairo's genius idea. I wanted to be Alucard, but he said no."</p><p>"Oh, from Castlevania!"</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>"Good taste."</p><p>"You... also have good taste." Kurapika noted, gesturing to Leorio's outfit.</p><p>"Thanks. The PTA committee sent me an e-mail and told me about your little Halloween tradition, so I brought it up with my supervisors at the hospital and they were down with it. I wanted to do the same theme to show my support." Leorio explained. "This outfit's surprisingly, Pietro's idea. He's Crash Bandicoot. But we still need to wear our lab coats so we don't scare our patients into thinking we're different people. One of them had dementia, and well, last year I was a werewolf, and I scared him into a heart attack." He admitted bashfully.</p><p>"Oh my God. I'm so sorry. I'm surprised they even let you dress up." Kurapika looked at Gon. "And aren't<em> you</em> just adorable?" he asked the boy.</p><p>"I'm a carrot!" Gon exclaimed, "I'm matching with my friends!"</p><p>"I just saw Ponzu walk in in her grape costume." Kurapika pointed to his classroom. "You should join her."</p><p>Gon raced into the classroom, nearly tripping over his feet that Leorio had to rush and hold him upright. </p><p>"I told you not to run in this costume because it'll make you fall!" Leorio warned.</p><p>"Sorry dad!" Gon laughed, waddling upright. "I'm okay." the tip of the carrot accidentally swatted Leorio in the face when he stood straight. Then he proceeded to run again to his desk despite Leorio telling him <em>not </em>to.</p><p>"He fell like eight times on the way here." Leorio sighed. "I still can't see why he ditched the frog costume for this. He<em> always</em> picks the frog costume."</p><p>"Change of plans?" Kurapika shrugged. "Shouldn't you be on your way to the hospital, <em>Snake</em>?" he asked with a teasing smile.</p><p>Leorio saluted, gloved hand and all, which shouldn't even be remotely attractive. But everything about this man oozed <em>pure sex </em>in many different ways. "Happy Halloween, Mr. Kurta."</p><p>"Happy Halloween, Mr. Paladiknight. Drive safely." Kurapika saw him off.</p><p>He almost forgot who was<em> who</em> in his class because <em>everyone </em>was dressed as<em> something</em> or someone <em>else.</em></p><p>It’s good to know his colleagues were facing the same embarrassment.</p><p>Kurapika made note of everyone’s costumes this year as they slowly piled into the conference room for another meeting.</p><p>Kurapika - Link.</p><p>Pairo - Zelda.</p><p>Feitan - Shadow The Hedgehog.</p><p>Basho - Ryu.</p><p>Phinks - Guile.</p><p>Machi - Lightning.</p><p>Shizuku - Tifa Lockhart.</p><p>Pakunoda - Lara Croft.</p><p>Kite - Corrin.</p><p>Melody - Isabelle.</p><p>Nobunaga - Sephiroth.</p><p>Shalnark - Pit.</p><p>Franklin - Kratos.</p><p>Morel - Rude.</p><p>Knov - Marth.</p><p>Cheadle - Catwoman.</p><p>Netero - Gandalf.</p><p>Bisky - Princess Peach.</p><p>Palm - Poison Ivy.</p><p>Netero himself was late, but Pariston, the vice principal waddled into the staff room. They could see Cheadle visibly grimace at his entire being. Today was a very festive day, therefore, Pariston was responsible for morning announcements which were extremely chipper for students and staff waking up at the ass crack of dawn to start their day— and played <em>Time Warp </em>on the school’s speakers, along with other Halloween-themed jams for each period that passed.</p><p>“Hello everyone!” He’s dressed as Lucas from <em>Earthbound, </em>“How do I look?”</p><p>“You look like Drake Bell when he dressed up as Timmy Turner for the Fairly Odd Parents movie.” Cheadle deadpanned.</p><p>“Is that a compliment, Miss Yorkshire?”</p><p>“No it fucking isn’t. You’re a disgrace to this community.”</p><p>Last year, when they were coming up with suggestions for a theme— Pariston playfully suggested they dress up as influencers and that he’d be Jake Paul, Cheadle said if he as much as thought about it seriously she would force him to resign as vice principal and the title be passed down to her. She’s been bitter ever since Netero anointed Pariston as vice principal when she’d been vouching for that spot, working for the same amount of years here as Pariston was. Yet, she’s been dean and faculty supervisor for seven years along with the rest of the head staff. She almost beat the shit out of Pariston at the last ending of the school year’s staff farewell party after he gave his speech about how it was such a <em>privilege </em>to be vice principal to Netero knowing fully well Cheadle wanted his spot and they had to hold her back, but most of the head staff encouraged she get his ass because they despised him too. It was also Kurapika's twenty-seventh birthday that day, and he stood there with balloons and a party hat comically while his bosses beat the shit out of each other like this was a fight club. Cheadle was scary.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t even know the full story of the beef between the higher ups, given Cheadle, Pariston, Morel, Knov, Bisky, and the rest of the head staff members, were their bosses. It turned out even their own bosses disliked each other very <em>openly </em>and the fact that someone exposed Pariston for having herpes is a prime example that everyone treating each other kindly was just a facade. There’s snakes everywhere and people were not to be trusted.</p><p>No one said a word at Cheadle’s infuriated comment.</p><p>Netero, in his large, wobbling hat— hopped into the staff room as everyone got seated. “Hello everyone!” he smiled brightly, “this is just a quick meeting before the day starts, we're going to take our group photo in a bit. But first I wanted to remind you all about the assembly we must attend to speak about the events we discussed.”</p><p>“On YHE day?” Phinks asked, “Netero, c’mon!”</p><p>“It’d be great to gather all grades of Yorknew on this special day so we can all come together as a community!”</p><p>No one wanted to say it was because assemblies were boring and a waste of time.</p><p>They took the staff group photo of their costumes for this year. Bean was taking the photo of them. Everyone managed to fully participate this year which was great for Netero, and not for them.<em> Monster Mash</em> played when the students and staff of Yorknew elementary were called to the school’s auditorium to gather together and listen to important announcements. Kurapika had seen kids and staff wearing many different costumes. The Pickled Pepper squad stood out in particular because they were dressed as the foods they said they’d be. His students were rounded up to occupy the first three rows in the front of the auditorium on the left side, and it was<em> loud</em>, and <em>chaotic</em>. His ears were hurting, too much <em>noise </em>happened all at once. Some of their costumes were too big to fit in one chair and students had to move over a seat to make some room. The kid dressed up as a giant Kirby Kurapika saw fall down the stairs this morning took up <em>three seats</em>.</p><p>It looked like the Halloween parade in Yorknew city shit all over the auditorium and you have a mixed bowl and whatever the fuck everyone decided to dress up as for today. And there’s the few oddballs who didn’t participate in this day at all.</p><p>“Hey look, it’s Gandalf!” Gon pointed at Netero when he jogged up the stage and in front of the podium. For someone at his elderly age everyone’s still wowed at the fact that this man did standing backflips at the middle school dance last year.</p><p>Killua’s sitting next to Gon in his broccoli costume, looking embarrassed.</p><p>“You look adorable.” Kurapika complimented.</p><p>“Hmph.” Killua grumbled. With the costume on, Kurapika wasn’t able to spot any… noticeable bruises like he did the last time. He’d admit, it worried him greatly, but he was hesitant to ask about it as of yet.</p><p>“Good morning everyone! Happy Halloween! Happy YHE day!” Netero beamed. The auditorium failed to quiet down due to everyone’s excitement. Morel stepped in front of the large room.</p><p><em>“SHUT UP.” </em>He shouted at the top of his lungs.</p><p>The room went eerily silent within seconds.</p><p>“Thank you Morel.” Netero said into the microphone. Morel put a thumbs up. Since he was here, everyone knew not to make too much trouble. He’d tear them a new one.</p><p>Kurapika’s job was mainly to make sure his class wasn’t being disruptive, as were the other teachers. He knew the kids liked to whisper among themselves, giggle and gossip, but he ignored it as long as it wasn’t too much noise. Every now and then he’d have to tell them to be quiet during the announcement, and he’s gotten a few people telling him they liked his costume. He thought he looked ridiculous, but it made him feel less embarrassed when there’s like ten Elsas and Annas hobbling around in various different shades.</p><p>Netero discussed that a very important school play was in production for the elementary students and that they’d be informed of the details soon enough.</p><p>The teachers used this as an excuse to talk among themselves at low volume throughout the assembly. It sucked enough that they had to have an assembly on a day like this.</p><p>It took about an hour once they were done with the beginning announcements, not without reciting the school’s moral code, of course.</p><p>Just as Netero was about to conclude the assembly, a couple screams were heard from the back of the auditorium.</p><p>“What’s going on?!” Morel asked over the commotion.</p><p>“<em>Rats!” </em>Someone cried out. It started from the back of the room, and then it slowly spread from row to row, all the way up to the front.</p><p>Even Kurapika had spotted it himself.</p><p>
  <em>Rats.</em>
</p><p>There were <em>rats </em>scampering around the auditorium and under the seats of where each student sat, and hundreds of elementary schoolers collectively proceeded to <em>lose their shit</em>— the staff members included.</p><p>Everyone left their seats in a heartbeat to scatter away in different directions.</p><p>“Oh my God.” Pairo said.</p><p>A very close second to spiders, which were Kurapika’s greatest fear— <em>he was very not fond of rats. </em></p><p>YHE day had begun with a rat infestation, approximately nine thirty in the morning. Second period.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter: YHE Arc Part II. :)</p><p>Shoutout to my mans Adri to helping me out with some of these costumes, some people were purposefully not mentioned because coming up with ideas for half the cast was a DIFFICULT challenge but I'm satisfied with these results. Everyone looks like they're ready to jump into Smash Bros to throw hands, literally, and I love this energy.</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. my love for you is so strong it can't be dialyzed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>YHE Arc: Part II.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This concludes the fun part of the Halloween chapter and we dive into Christmas break.</p><p>Prepare that things might start to get heavy from here. We're careening on a giant roller coaster and it's just now making its way down a really long drop, and it's spiraling far out of my control.</p><p>REMINDER THAT EVERYONE IS MOSTLY DRESSED UP IN COSTUMES RIGHT NOW. A quick debriefing of everyone's outfits:</p><p>Kurapika - <b>Link.</b><br/>Leorio - <b>Solid Snake.</b><br/>Gon - <b>Carrot.</b><br/>Killua - <b>Broccoli.</b><br/>Zushi - <b>Sushi.</b><br/>Ponzu - <b>Grapes.</b><br/>Pokkle - <b>Hamburger.</b><br/>Canary - <b>Donut.</b><br/>Komugi and Meruem - <b>Ice Cream.</b><br/>Pairo - <b>Zelda.</b><br/>Feitan - <b>Shadow The Hedgehog.</b><br/>Basho - <b>Ryu.</b><br/>Phinks - <b>Guile.</b><br/>Machi - <b>Lightning.</b><br/>Shizuku - <b>Tifa Lockhart.</b><br/>Pariston - <b>Lucas (Earthbound).</b><br/>Pakunoda - <b>Lara Croft.</b><br/>Kite - <b>Corrin.</b><br/>Melody - <b>Isabelle.</b><br/>Nobunaga - <b>Sephiroth.</b><br/>Shalnark - <b>Pit.</b><br/>Netero - <b>Gandalf.</b><br/>Franklin - <b>Kratos.</b><br/>Morel - <b>Rude.</b><br/>Knov - <b>Marth.</b><br/>Cheadle - <b>Catwoman.</b><br/>Netero - <b>Gandalf.</b><br/>Bisky - <b>Princess Peach.</b><br/>Palm - <b>Poison Ivy.</b><br/>Uvogin - <b>John Marston.</b></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This looked like a nightmare come to life.</p><p>“Do something!” Cheadle begged Netero, he’s still standing on the stage— just as baffled by the situation as all the teachers.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I got this.” Morel said, “pipe down!” his voice boomed over the cries of the children but this time it didn’t have as much of an effect.</p><p>“Dude,” Phinks pointed at Morel’s shoe, “there’s a rat on your shoe.”</p><p>“God damn it!” Morel lifted his shoe so the rat could fall and scurry away. Half the staff members booked it for the corner up front, the other half scattered so they could find the rats, or <em>catch </em>them— which admittedly took balls.</p><p>“Uh,” Netero laughed, “so there seems to be a… situation!”</p><p>“No running on the stage!” Morel ordered. Netero hadn’t seen the kids that entered the stage from backstage, and he’s far too late to register when a boy had rammed into him, therefore, knocking him <em>right off the stage</em>. Everyone gasped.</p><p>"Gandalf just died!"</p><p>"Holy mac!"</p><p>“Sir?!” Palm asked, kneeling down by his side.</p><p>“<em>My back</em>.” Netero wheezed. The staff members crowded around him, matching facial expressions of the same concern. “Don’t worry about little old me! It was just a fall!”</p><p>“That wasn’t just a fall!” Knov said, “are you alright, Netero?"</p><p>“I think I might’ve heard a crack.” Netero groaned.</p><p>“Our dear principal has fallen.” Pariston gasped, “whatever shall we do, Miss Yorkshire, I’d assume you’d know what to do best as faculty supervisor.”</p><p>Cheadle glared at him. “Change of plans.” she said.</p><p>“Well clearly!” Bisky shouted, “can someone please explain to me why there’s rats in the auditorium?!”</p><p>“No clue.” Mizaistom said, “I thought we got rid of the infestation two years ago.”</p><p>“Oh yeah…” Shizuku said, “remember the roaches?”</p><p>“We don’t talk about the roaches.” Kurapika shivered.</p><p>“So what do we do, man?” Phinks asked, “the kids are losing their shit and the principal just broke his fucking back.”</p><p>“Oh don’t fret over it!” Netero laughed, “it’s not a big deal. The kids are just a little frightened.”</p><p>“Cheadle.” Palm looked at her, panicked, “what do we do?”</p><p>“So we’re looking to me to come up with a solution?”</p><p>“Well who else?” Pariston batted his eyelashes.</p><p>“The fucking vice principal should help out too maybe?” Cluck clarified.</p><p>“Well I have no idea what to do in this situation!” He beamed, just exactly the kind of thing they’d want to hear from their vice principal.</p><p>“Hold on.” Cheadle paced around, they had to think <em>fast. </em>Over hundreds of kids were in this auditorium and if no one set a firm example of following orders then it could only get worse than here. “While we work on calling an extermination team, we need to get the kids dismissed.”</p><p>“So we just let the rats roam?” Machi asked, “no fucking way in Hell am I letting <em>any of them </em>touch me.”</p><p>“There’s nothing we can do.” Mizaistom explained, “until we can figure out the source, and <em>why</em>, the assembly isn’t concluded until everyone is escorted out of the auditorium.”</p><p>“We can call the extermination team.” Pakunoda suggested.</p><p>“First, the guards.” Shalnark said. “They can keep the kids from leaving by blocking the doors.”</p><p>“I don’t care what the Hell the plan is!” Morel butt in, currently trying to get the children that left their seats off the damn stage, “somebody oughta help me out here or else somebody else’s gonna fall off the stage!”</p><p>“We need to bring Netero to the nurse’s office.” Knov heaved Netero up with a grunt.</p><p>“I will.” Cheadle volunteered to be by Knov’s side, “as for the rest of you, get them out of here as <em>safely </em>as possible.”</p><p>“Ugh. Fine.” Feitan simply walked away.</p><p>“You’re leaving?!” Machi asked, “I thought you were helping us!”</p><p>“The principal’s well-being is in jeopardy.” Cheadle replied. “Morel needs help settling the kids down.”</p><p>“God damn <em>rats</em>!” Phinks grumbled, “they’re everywhere!”</p><p>“One tried to crawl up my pants!” Uvogin said heatedly.</p><p>“Palm. Call security. Knov and I will call extermination. As for everyone, please help Morel and get everyone out of here.” On Cheadle’s command, and on behalf of Morale while Netero was being escorted out the room— he kept insisting that he was completely <em>fine </em>and it was just a little <em>oopsie</em>, all the more shocking because it was quite the height he fell from and ironically a man of his age shouldn’t be fragile to be pushed off the stage by a scared ten year old. They retreated to find any students out of their seats and hiding children.</p><p>Dalzollene had to get involved with the security guards and went as far as to block the doors so no one left the premises, which thankfully, no one had as of yet. Cheadle needed the auditorium to be completely empty in under five minutes because the second period ended already and they needed to be on par with the schedule.</p><p>The faculty members in charge while most of them were attending the assembly thought it was a good idea to play <em>Thriller </em>because they thought passing period’s already began like normal. They were probably going to be radioed on the situation late.</p><p>“Let me know if anything happens, okay? I gotta take my kids upstairs.” Pairo told Kurapika.</p><p>“Yeah, of course.”</p><p>“Don’t put the rats in your backpack!” Pairo rushed off, and with that, Kurapika was left to deal with his class. He’s glad that most of them didn’t wander off too far. Cheadle basically left them for the wolves and so far Morel’s managed to get them away from the stage and where they belonged, closer to their seats.</p><p>Kurapika couldn’t find Gon or Killua anywhere, and he started to panic.</p><p>“Have you guys seen Gon and Killua?” he did a headcount on all of his students and he was right, those two were the only ones missing out of the remaining class. Their classmates mentioned that they went after a rat after it passed by their seats.</p><p>“<em>They what</em>?”</p><p>“They wanted to find a rat!” Pokkle repeated.</p><p>“Oh God.” Kurapika spotted Kite amid the herd forming of the teachers gathering their students collectively. He grabbed the other man and yanked him closer, “Kite!” he shouted over the volume, “watch my kids for me!”</p><p>“What’s up?!”</p><p>“Gon and Killua are missing!”</p><p>“Oh boy!” Kite replied, “that doesn’t sound good! Dalzollene’s not lettin’ anyone stay in here, we’ve gotta go.”</p><p>“But I can’t find them anywhere!”</p><p>“One of the security guards will turn up with them.”</p><p>“The rats ate Gon and Killua?!” Zushi asked. Fear rose among the children.</p><p>“They’re just lost.” Kurapika responded.</p><p>“Or are they?” Kite asked ominously.</p><p>“Please don’t do this.” Kurapika begged.</p><p>“Everybody get out of the auditorium!” Dalzollene’s voice pitched from the entrance and throughout the auditorium. The sight of kids and adults dressed down from head to toe in their ridiculous YHE costumes squeezing themselves through the double doors and sometimes failing, would’ve been hilarious if it weren’t for the unfortunate circumstances they’ve somehow thrown themselves in.</p><p>“We don’t have a choice.” Kite told Kurapika. “And you definitely can’t convince him to let you stay in and find them. I gotta go.”</p><p>“Wait—” He left before Kurapika can call him back. They’re already being ushered into the hall. His classroom wasn’t very far from the auditorium, so it didn’t take as long to reach there. Everyone’s screaming that the rats ate Gon and Killua up until Kurapika directed them inside quickly.</p><p>He was about to close the door behind him when the two boys in question popped up at the doorway.</p><p>“<em>Oh my</em>— <em>where have you two been?!” </em>Kurapika shrieked.</p><p>“We found Bobby!” Gon answered.</p><p>“Who’s— who’s Bobby?!”</p><p>“This is Bobby.” Killua lifted up a <em>live rat </em>by the tail. “Gon and I named him while we were looking for him.”</p><p>As if that didn’t give their classmates enough of a reason to be scared out of their minds.</p><p>“You can’t keep that in here!” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Why not?” Gon pouted.</p><p>“It’s a rat!”</p><p>“His name’s Bobby!” Gon whined.</p><p>“We thought they ate you!” Zushi said. The rest of the class crept closer so they could get a better look, though mostly cautious.</p><p>“They do eat people.” Killua grinned, “we just managed to catch Bobby before he ate one of us.”</p><p>“Really?!” Pokkle gasped, “what if it eats us?!”</p><p>“Run!” Ponzu said. The class made a break for it to the opposite side of the classroom.</p><p>“Whoops!” Bobby slipped off Killua’s hand and let him loose into the classroom.</p><p>“Oh dear.” They were scrambling on the tables, knocking things over so that Bobby didn’t <em>eat their legs </em>first, something along the lines of that. Kurapika had to put a stop to this, even if that meant staying at least five feet away from that fucking rat his students brought into the classroom because he was definitely not touching it either. He grabbed a chair and stood up on top of it.</p><p>“Class!” It fell on deaf ears the first time. He tried again. They weren’t listening.</p><p>“Pssss,” Gon cooed, “Bobby! C’mere!”</p><p>“Where’d he go?!” Killua asked.</p><p>“Over there.” Canary pointed at a corner next to the bucket of sand that’s been knocked over at the sandcastle station.</p><p>“It’s coming over here!” Pokkle said.</p><p>“Um,” Komugi calmly asked through the screaming, “what does the rat look like?”</p><p>“It’s like the rat from Ratatouille.” Pokkle replied.</p><p>“Meruem says it looks weird.”</p><p>“<em>Class!</em>” It worked this time around, “Quiet down!” he had to awkwardly squat and wave for Gon and Killua to come over to him while he stood on the chair, guarding his legs, “I’m going to need <em>you two troublemakers </em>to <em>find </em>Bobby immediately while I call for a security guard.”</p><p>“What’re you gonna do to him?” Gon asked fearfully.</p><p>“Bobby’s going to go someplace nice.” Kurapika smiled.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Mhm. Now can you do us all a favor and find him? Your classmates are extremely terrified.” And so was he.</p><p>“Killua!” Gon raced up to him, “we need to find Bobby quick!”</p><p>“Don’t you think that’s what I’m doing?!” Killua barked. “Canary said he was by the sandbox but he’s not there anymore!”</p><p>“Don’t rats like cheese?” Pokkle asked, digging into his backpack left on his chair to take out a handi-snack he had for lunch. “I can use this.”</p><p>“Good idea.” Gon said. While they were trying to lure the rat out of its hiding place, Kurapika snuck back to the telephone box and opened it, dialing for security and informing them about the loose rat in the classroom.</p><p>“There he is!” Gon said, catching the class’ attention.</p><p>“Here Bobby.” Pokkle put down his handi-snack on the floor, “I got cheese for you.” Gon and Killua carefully approached Bobby, very slowly, not to startle him.</p><p>“Grab it!” Ponzu demanded. Gon and Killua chased after Bobby the second he ran away from the cheese, and Killua snagged him by the tail, lifting him up. An unceremonious squeak came from Bobby.</p><p>Kurapika let out the biggest sigh of relief.</p><p>Gon was upset to have to say goodbye to Bobby when a security guard entered the room, answering Kurapika's call. By now, a crew of exterminators were sent to the auditorium to assess the situation.</p><p>“Goodbye, Bobby.” Gon sighed dejectedly. Kurapika placed a hand on his shoulder, patting it gently.</p><p>The security guard looked miserable and Kurapika felt embarrassed, but he also sympathized with him because of how much of a terrible start this morning went to. The short period of time they had with Bobby seemed like a memorable one.</p><p>“Come on kid.” The guard knowingly extended his hand out. “Give it to me.”</p><p>“But…” Gon took the rat from Killua and cradled it in his arms like a newborn. “I really like him.”</p><p>The guard stared at Kurapika, who pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>“Gon,” he said softly, “you already have a pet at home.”</p><p>“But why can’t we have a pet of our own here too?”</p><p>“We will not have a pet rat in the classroom.”</p><p>“Just let go of it, Gon.” Killua said. “They’re probably gonna kill it or something anyway.”</p><p>“What?!”</p><p>“Rats are dirty and stuff. So, they might.”</p><p>“But Bobby didn’t do anything. Right, Killua?” Gon gave him puppy eyes, “He’s nice to us. We should be nice to him too, and not be scared of him. Right, guys?”</p><p>They were seeing Bobby in a different light now. Pokkle was the first one that dared to touch Bobby. Kurapika made a note that everyone must sanitize their hands thoroughly later before their next bathroom break.</p><p>“So he won’t eat us?” Ponzu asked.</p><p>“Nice rat.” Komugi said. “Can I?”</p><p>“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” The guard muttered under his breath.</p><p>“Just. Let them. Um.” Kurapika gestured to the children taking turns petting Bobby one by one before his inevitable doom, probably.</p><p>“Yeah,” Gon agreed, “nice rat!”</p><p>“Meruem says he’s really soft.”</p><p>“He is soft.”</p><p>“You wanna touch, Canary?” Gon offered Bobby to her, and she looked hesitant, but she gave in— seeing all the other kids do it. Kurapika folded his arms, waiting patiently.</p><p>“Okay, everyone.” He couldn’t believe he hated to break up the tender moment between the loose, disease-infested rat and the class. “Prepare to say goodbye. Bobby must go. I’m sorry to say.”</p><p>“Goodbye Bobby!” Gon said. Everyone followed suit, Killua included, although quiet and pretending that it didn’t affect him just as much as it did for Gon. The guard had gloves on and a Ziploc bag, opening it so he could stick the rat inside and zip it shut. Kurapika saw him out the door.</p><p>“You’re not supposed to bring rats into the classroom.” Kurapika chided them both. “You guys should be aware of this. You also ran off without letting me know, it was a very dangerous situation during that assembly.”</p><p>“Sorry.” Killua huffed. “Gon wanted to catch it. He said if we catch it we can name it and see if Mr. Kurta would let us keep it.”</p><p>“You wanted to, too!”</p><p>“D-Did not!”</p><p>An announcement came on the speakers, ordering that all students and staff were ordered to remain in their rooms until they were done with their work. Kurapika ushered them to the carpet to sit until the brief lockdown period was lifted. He had to endure them thinking that the school was being invaded by killer rats and that Bobby was one of the friendly ones that spared eating them because he liked Gon and Killua. Now he was being fed to the wolves.</p><p>“We’re not going to die.” Kurapika sat cross-legged at the nearest table by the carpet, “this is just to make sure we’re safe.”</p><p>“Bobby didn’t mean any harm.” Gon said. Ah. He’s still mourning over the loss of Bobby. “I wonder if he’s safe.”</p><p>“Not if he’s dead.”</p><p>“He’s not dead!” Gon told Killua. “He’s in a better place!”</p><p>“Rat Hell, probably.”</p><p>“Rat Hell?” Gon blinked. “What’s that?”</p><p>“What’s Hell?” Komugi asked. A chorus of <em>ooooooh </em>filtered throughout the room at the word said.</p><p>“He said a bad word!” Pokkle pointed at Killua. Killua bit his finger, and he screamed.</p><p>“<em>Killua</em>.” Kurapika glared. “First warning.”</p><p>“He bit me!” Pokkle cried.</p><p>“That’s ‘cause you’re annoying.” Killua shot back. Pokkle smacked him in the arm. “Ow!”</p><p>“Any more fighting and I’d have to consult both your parents.” Kurapika put a finger to his lips, “this is a lockdown. No one is supposed to be talking.”</p><p>“They won’t care.” Killua muttered.</p><p>“I’m sure your brother would be concerned.” As much as Kurapika hated to have to resort to consulting that Balenciaga-loving whore, none of Killua’s emergency contacts on file were people <em>at all </em>reliable other than Gotoh who wasn’t even their proper guardian, because he’s tried to reach his parents numerous times in the past and to no avail there wasn’t a single answer. However, Illumi recently left his contact a few days prior because he said that Kurapika would need it. He’s sure that Illumi did it just to spite him that he’s going to get no luck in trying to make Killua into the<em> perfect little star student</em> he thought he was.</p><p>Killua grumbled. “It’s just a stupid word, anyway.”</p><p>Kurapika kept looking at his watch. This was ridiculous.</p><p>“Can we get a pet?” Gon asked. This was a <em>no-talking </em>session and yet they immediately forgot the warning several minutes later.</p><p>“Gon.” Kurapika said sternly.</p><p>“Please!” Gon pleaded. “I think it’d be really cool if we got a pet for the classroom. Like Bobby.”</p><p>“Bobby is not coming back.”</p><p>“I knooooow! But I want another pet! <em>Like </em>Bobby.”</p><p>This boy and his adorable little carrot costume made it hard to turn his requests down. His classmates instantly agreed with the idea.</p><p>“I want a Rhinoceros.” Pokkle suggested.</p><p>“Dinosaurs don’t exist.” Killua reminded him flatly. Kurapika sent a look his way before he could add an insult to the end of that statement, so he kept quiet.</p><p>“They do!” Pokkle argued.</p><p>“They died. Long time ago.”</p><p>“How do you know that?”</p><p>“Everyone knows that.”</p><p>“Dinosaurs are dead?” Gon asked. “I thought I saw one on TV.”</p><p>“Jurassic Park is fictional.” Kurapika laughed. “Killua’s right, actually. A meteor killed them millions of years ago.”</p><p>The class thought hearing this new information was a revelation. So, during the lockdown Kurapika briefly explained the death of the dinosaurs. However, Pokkle knew a few because his dad worked at a history museum and studied dinosaur bones and other kinds of animal fossils of extinct species that lived ions ago.</p><p>“So we can’t get a dinosaur.” Gon concluded from the miniature history lesson.</p><p>“No.” Kurapika said. “But. While we wait. We can vote on a class pet.” He quieted the class down before they could start jumping and screaming in excitement. They’ve already gone the entirety of third period, and it sounded like if they were quiet for too long they’d start getting antsy. Kurapika eased their minds by starting a poll on potential class pets they could raise together as a bonding exercise as a class for the year.</p><p>He hopped off the table and moved over to the carpet, pushing the easel closer to him, uncapping a marker sitting under the whiteboard.</p><p>Their suggestions spanned things that <em>could not </em>be kept as a simple classroom pet. He also reminded them absolutely <em>no pet spiders </em>because he personally thought they were too icky to keep around, much to their dismay. He told them he didn’t like spiders and they were out of the question to keep as a pet. He turned down the mention of a tarantula from Killua. They were crushed to hear that they couldn’t keep a tiger, a baby shark, or a gorilla in their classroom. Coaxing them to think smaller than that.</p><p>“What about a goldfish?” Komugi raised her hand.</p><p>“Hm. No one else’s made that suggestion.” Kurapika wrote it down next to <em>turtle</em>. “Okay, so far, we have a hamster, bunny, lizard, mouse, and now… a goldfish.”</p><p>“Can we have another frog?” Gon asked.</p><p>“You have a pet frog at home.”</p><p>“But dad keeps saying he promises we’re gonna get him a friend and he still never did!”</p><p>“I want a hamster!” Zushi said.</p><p>“Bunny!”</p><p>“I still want a dinosaur!”</p><p>“We can only vote on what we suggested.” Kurapika explained. “There’s… about thirty one students in this class." It's meant to be thirty, but he counted Meruem for Komugi's sake. "So whichever animal gets the most votes, we will keep as a class pet. How does that sound?”</p><p>They were on board with the idea. Kurapika gave them each a marker so they could put a tally next to the class pet they wanted the most. He made sure no one voted for more than one class pet, erased their vote last minute, and created an option for no class pet at all in case there’s students who were in favor of none. He was aware some kids might have allergies to furry pets especially so he was wary about the hamster, but after some musing, it turned out the class was most in favor of a goldfish, that being Komugi’s suggestion.</p><p>“So it looks like a fish wins.”</p><p>They cheered.</p><p>“Like Nemo!” Gon said.</p><p>“Nemo is a clownfish.” Kurapika chuckled.</p><p>The announcement came back on during their impromptu class pet suggestions. Pariston’s voice happily rang through the speakers.</p><p>
  <em>“Hello everyone! We are extremely sorry about the assembly incident. The extermination team we’ve reached out to has now finished taking very good care of the situation. However, the auditorium will be off-limits for the time being until we are completely sure the hazard as of this morning has been removed. The lockdown is now lifted! YHE day will now officially resume, as well as regularly scheduled school activities!” </em>
</p><p>“We’re not gonna die anymore?” Pokkle asked. They proceeded to cheer loudly.</p><p>“No more killer rats!” Ponzu chimed in.</p><p>“Yay!”</p><p>“There were never any killer rats.” Kurapika assured them.</p><p>“Bobby wasn’t one.” Gon sulked. “Until he was taken away to Rat Hell.”</p><p>“You just said a bad word again.” Canary said.</p><p>Kurapika sighed. Now they can continue on with their schedule as resumed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It turned out that the rest of Yorknew’s staff had been dealing with the same stress when some of them met up in the break room.</p><p>“How’s everyone’s YHE day going?” Pairo asked happily.</p><p>“Bad.” Feitan responded.</p><p>“Your day’s always bad.”</p><p>“Gon and Killua brought a rat into the classroom today.” Kurapika said.</p><p><em>“Holy shit</em>—” Pairo cackled.</p><p>“They named it Bobby.” Kurapika continued, every ounce of his suffering oozed off his system and fortunately those present in the room shared the sentiment. “Bobby.”</p><p>“What’d you do with it?”</p><p>“We had to <em>get rid of it</em>, obviously. And now they’re mourning over his loss.”</p><p>“He’s in a better place now.”</p><p>“Rat Hell doesn’t sound like a better place.” Kurapika took a long swig of his thermos.</p><p>“Rat <em>what </em>now?” Pairo blinked.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Kurapika’s nose wrinkled, “They call it Rat Hell. Don’t even ask me where five-year-olds get that kind of knowledge from. Is it a specific circle of a Hell for rats? It’s up to debate. But I’m never going to not think about that for the rest of the day.”</p><p>“Hey.” Shalnark rushed into the room, out of breath. “Did you guys—” he bent over so he could <em>breathe</em>, “<em>oh my God </em>I hate running.”</p><p>“What’s up?” Kite asked, munching on a cracker.</p><p>“There’s a—” Shalnark went over to Feitan and took his water out his hands, drinking straight from it.</p><p>“That was my water.” Feitan threw his hands in the air, “Guess I’ll go get another one from the vending machine.”</p><p>“Why are you out of breath?” Melody asked, “are you okay?”</p><p>“I was running!” Shalnark rasped.</p><p>“From who?” Phinks asked.</p><p>“There’s a giant bigfoot running around and scaring people!”</p><p>There’s a beat. They didn’t believe him for a single fucking second.</p><p>“Yeah, nice try.” Phinks said. “If this is one of your infamous <em>Shalnark pranks </em>then that’s a good one.”</p><p>“No!” Shalnark’s wings comically fluttered with the way he talked animatedly and the fact that everyone’s still dressed in their costumes made it all very ironic, “It’s like,” he lifted his arms as high as he could, <em>“this tall. </em>Brown. Scary.”</p><p>“Bigfoot isn’t real.” Feitan deadpanned.</p><p>“Are you sure about that?” Kite asked. They all looked at him. “‘Cause I seen shit.”</p><p>“It’s not an actual bigfoot.” Shalnark rushed to explain, “it’s someone dressed in a costume. I’m sure of it.”</p><p>“Maybe it’s faculty messin’ with us.” Phinks said.</p><p>“Who among faculty would dress up as a gigantic bigfoot?” Pairo asked, “sounds a little <em>too </em>over the top, if you ask me.”</p><p>“With the costumes you people come in as every year literally nothing is over the top.” Feitan commented.</p><p>"Comin' from the guy dressed as Shadow." Nobunaga scoffed under his breath. Feitan punched him in the arm.</p><p>"Can it, Foot Fetish Friday."</p><p>"I dare you to call me that shit again. For the last time, that complaint box is nothing but bullshit!"</p><p>“I saw it, guys.” Shalnark said. “Also, if I did a prank, it’d be so much better than dressing up as bigfoot.”</p><p>“Not gonna believe it until I see it.” Phinks stood up and stretched.</p><p>He jinxed it.</p><p>Something hideously terrifying, in the form of a seven<em> foot tall </em>beast of gangly limbs, came barreling into the staff room and let out the loudest <em>roar </em>Kurapika’s ever heard. They all jumped out of their seats, the first person the creature went for was Phinks, tackling him to the ground while the rest of them stared in complete shock.</p><p>Then it got off Phinks and ran out the room, leaving him there on the ground just like that.</p><p>“Can you pass me the laptop on the shelf?” Pairo asked casually. Phinks stared at him, flabbergasted.</p><p>Machi and Pakunoda walked in with lunch.</p><p>“Can someone tell me why I just saw a really tall gorilla just run out the door?” Machi asked. Franklin walked in. He saw Phinks on the floor, and stepped over his body, straight for the coffee maker without a single word.</p><p>“I told you it was real!” Shalnark exclaimed, “it’s really going around and scaring the shit out of people.”</p><p>“<em>What the fuck</em>—” Phinks slammed his hands against the long table for leverage, heaving himself up, then proceeding to fix his track suit. Heated. “I’m gonna <em>find </em>that bigfoot and kick their fucking ass.”</p><p>“Whoa. What’s going on?” Pakunoda asked. “Why’s Mr. Track Star havin’ a fit?”</p><p>“He just got spooked by bigfoot.” Shalnark responded.</p><p>“Great.” Pakunoda sat down with Machi and casually took her lunch out.</p><p>“They’re just playing jokes on us.” Kite said, “I wouldn’t get too pressed about it. It was a pretty good scare, I’ll admit.”</p><p>Kurapika sighed. He’d prefer it if this day were over already.</p><p>“So who do you think it is?” Pairo asked when they left the room to get sodas from the vending machine.</p><p>Kurapika looked at him. “Who? The bigfoot scaring people?”</p><p>“Duh!”</p><p>“Pairo.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Kurapika arched a brow.</p><p>“Oh, c’mon.” Pairo snorted, “you think I know who it is?”</p><p>“I found it surprising that Shalnark didn’t.”</p><p>“I might know a lot of things, even more than he does, <em>but</em>—” he shot down Kurapika’s suspicions, “I’m drawing blanks on this one. Maybe it’s Pariston?”</p><p>“I saw Pariston in Bisky’s office before I came down to the break room.” They looked at each other, “but he would do something like that.”</p><p>“Right?” Pairo pondered on, “Netero’s still in the nurse’s office, right?”</p><p>“Uh…”</p><p>They heard a couple screams coming <em>from </em>the nurse’s office itself. Speaking of the devil, there’s the bastard in the bigfoot costume making a beeline for the hallway while <em>five </em>security guards tailed them for the door.</p><p>“Somebody <em>get that damn bigfoot</em>!” Morel screamed after them.</p><p>“What happened?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Just came in and scared the shit out of us that’s what!” Morel sighed, “I get it. It’s Halloween. Kids dressed up in their scary little costumes are playing pranks on us.”</p><p>“...You think that’s a <em>kid</em>?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“It’s pretty hard to tell.”</p><p>“They’re abnormally tall for a small child to be dressed in such a thing.” Kurapika said. “We were just thinking about Netero. Is he alright?”</p><p>“Hello!” Cheadle, Knov, and Palm are also in there with him. Netero sitting in a chair turned backwards while the nurse made some quick evaluations. “It turns out it was just a little sprain.”</p><p>“<em>A sprain</em>?!” Kurapika and Pairo asked at the same time.</p><p>“That’s— the same thing we thought…” Cheadle laughed sheepishly. “From a fall like that we thought we’d have to contact the hospital.”</p><p>“I told you all it was alright.” Netero chuckled. “I’d endured thousands of injuries worse than this.”</p><p>“A kid still pushed you off the stage.” Knov reminded him. “Are you <em>sure </em>it’s just a sprain?” he asked the nurse.</p><p>“He isn’t rendered immobile by the fall. Not one bit.” The nurse commented, “it even surprises me.”</p><p>“Sometimes I wonder if he’s fucking human.” Morel muttered under his breath, “anyway, I need you guys to do me another favor.”</p><p>“Yeah, sure what’s up?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“Keep an eye out for the giant gorilla. It might be one of the middle school kids pulling a prank on us. They been scarin’ kids left and right and messin’ around with teachers.” Morel explained.</p><p>So Shalnark <em>wasn’t </em>bluffing. “What do you insist we do?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Hopefully if the guards don’t catch them then one of you will.” Morel said. “Whoever it is I ain’t gonna go lightly on them.”</p><p>“So, first, we get a sudden rat infestation.” Pairo began, “and now… you’re telling me… there’s a student wearing a bigfoot costume on the loose?”</p><p>“YHE day’s full of exciting surprises isn’t it?” Cheadle asked jokingly.</p><p>“We’ll be on the lookout.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Can I leave this chair?” Netero asked.</p><p>“You need to rest, sir.” The nurse advised. “We can’t afford for you to withstand another injury.”</p><p>“But I told you it’s not an injury!” He practically was throwing a tiny temper tantrum. Kurapika and Pairo had waved and politely excused themselves to continue their trek to the vending machine.</p><p>There’s hundreds of kids wearing costumes and it probably <em>was </em>just a student messing with them trying to avoid class time. Dalzollene reported that the culprit hadn’t been caught yet, and that they’re taking extra precaution for when they spot them hanging around where they shouldn’t be. But they advised that this shouldn’t interfere with their daily activities and they should continue doing as normal.</p><p>The kids were curious about the troublemaking student going around scaring people and word spread out fast, however, Kurapika eased their minds with fun game activities before lunch that had them on their feet so that they didn't panic like they did earlier. They brainstormed names for their class pet— for some strange reason, they settled on <em>Nemo. </em>The fish was a <em>goldfish </em>and not a clownfish. He expected nothing less dastardly from them anyway. Nemo it was, and he'd have to take a trip to the pet store with Pairo to buy themselves a fish bowl before Christmas break.</p><p>Now that the lockdown was lifted, after their lunch period, they migrated over to the school gym with the other grades for their annual YHE tournament. They deemed the gymnasium safe for the time being and the kids were anxious that they’d end up missing the competition.</p><p>The tournament consisted of sports games between grades and each class from each grade would compete against each other, the highest winning team won bags of candy, a class photo, and bragging rights. Phinks and Uvogin were in charge of conducting these games but of course the teachers were permitted to participate alongside their students.</p><p>So they forced Kurapika to join them. A lot of them were extremely nervous because this was going to be their first time being part of the tournament.</p><p>"Mr. Kurta."</p><p>Kurapika knew that voice. </p><p>"Die."</p><p>"That's not a good way to start off on the right foot." Chrollo chuckled, "considering, you had... your reservations, between you and I."</p><p>"Sorry." Kurapika smiled sweetly at him, "what I meant to say is <em>eat shit and die</em>."</p><p>"I see we'll be going head to head again for the teacher's part of the tournament."</p><p>"Oh we will won't we?"</p><p>"I suggest you brush up on your skills, then." Chrollo smiled, "I recall the lost you took against our team last year because you were a little too rubbish."</p><p>"I'll fucking beat you this time." Kurapika's eyes flashed red, vengeful. "Don't push your luck, <em>Mr. Lucilfer.</em>"</p><p>"I hope to see you try." Chrollo walked away to his side of the gym, where he'd be hanging around the other teachers. Kurapika's lip curled into a snarl. He had to look at that man's ugly face because he too would be participating in this tournament. </p><p>“I’m not good at sports.” Pokkle said.</p><p>“What if we mess up?” Komugi asked.</p><p>“Are you scared of the other kids?” Killua teased.</p><p>“I-I’m totally not scared!”</p><p>“Is too!”</p><p>“Is not!”</p><p>“I’m not backing out.” Zushi said, “not when Alluka is here watching.”</p><p>“Hehe, right, ‘cause you wanna impress your crush?” Killua gave a cat-like smirk.</p><p>“Everyone.” Kurapika huddled them together, “It doesn’t matter if you’re not good at sports. <em>I </em>even hated sports when I was around your age.” he was a drama kid. Of <em>course </em>he was that kid who sat on the bleachers with Pairo while Pairo teased him about the cute boys showing their athletic skills when they played sports. “But if I had no choice but to participate, I had to no matter what. Why? Because you have a team who’s counting on you. It isn’t a team when everyone doesn’t give it their all, and the other team’s going to beat us if we don’t cooperate.”</p><p>“So we should work together!” Gon suggested. “We can help out Komugi since she can’t see and stuff, and if someone is doing bad, we can help them too, and we can cheer them on.”</p><p>“That’s the spirit.” Kurapika put his hand out. “Lend me your strength.”</p><p>“<em>Osu!</em>” Zushi shouted. Everyone followed suit, shouting <em>“osu!” </em>in perfect unison.</p><p>Phinks had a hold of the microphone. “What’s up Yorknew?!” he announced. The cries coming from the bleachers and the gym floor were deafening, “C’mon, be a little louder than that!” He encouraged. He put a hand to his ear, “Welcome to the YHE tournament!”</p><p>“YEAH!” Uvogin hailed proudly. “Who’s ready to kick some butt?!”</p><p>The children raved eagerly. “Okay so our first game’s gonna be soccer!” Uvogin said, “Mr. Magcub and I are gonna demonstrate.”</p><p>A brief demonstration explained how the rules of the soccer game would work. Once they were finished, they got right into the games.</p><p>At first, the games were a mess. Some of them tripped over their feet, some getting hit by soccer balls, arguing with the other team and arguing with each other. Kurapika had to round them up before the next round to knock some sense into them. He hated to be <em>that </em>kind of teacher, but they were doing horrible, and had to pick up the slack.</p><p>“He threw a ball at Zushi’s face.” Killua said, “So I kicked the soccer ball in his face back!”</p><p>“He went to the nurse’s office with a bloody nose.”</p><p>“Oops.”</p><p>“We can’t let the other team provoke us. We need to show that we’re <em>better </em>than them. Okay?” Kurapika pushed them back toward the court. “C’mon! Make me proud!”</p><p>They did a little better toward the end of the soccer game. The next was indoor baseball, which still could use a lot of work in terms of teamwork. But it was actually Komugi who ended up scoring the most for them, so they were able to win the round. The next had multiple activities combined in one, they had to hula hoop their way across the gym, jump rope, dodge a row of cones up until the finish line. Gon and Killua were the first ones to win with Zushi and Canary following close behind. The only way to get ahead was if they maintained focus and good sportsmanship, therefore, they came together to win the remaining games that required strong teamwork.</p><p>They emerged from the games victorious, beating the other class’ team by a few points, it could’ve been more if they didn’t lose the first couple rounds. The greatest challenge was a game of capture of the flag, where Pokkle stole the victory without managing to get tagged because most of their team did. He might’ve ran so much that he threw up right after he caught the flag, but he was okay afterward. Kurapika signaled them to come running back toward their territory immediately and they rejoiced over stealing the win.</p><p>His joints ache from running around the gym throwing basketball hoops from when the teachers from each grade had to compete with each other, and after Chrollo had made an off-handed comment about how Kurapika’s skills were rubbish he made it his goal to beat his ass at basketball. They were tied at volleyball and he was actually quite good at that because him and Pairo made a good team. But he’s aware he couldn’t throw a single basketball to save his life and Chrollo always beat their team at that, because he wasn’t a <em>sports kid</em>, God damn it. Pakunoda was doing most of the scoring since she could actually <em>play</em> basketball (she was in a girls high school basketball team, and Kurapika had to shove Machi aside to stop her from drooling when she watched Pakunoda dribble, curve their opponents flawlessly and make shots from a far distance without breaking a sweat.) Machi and Pairo just ran away from the ball, Shizuku would forget how to pass, but Basho, Shalnark, and Kite proved to be good athletes. Kurapika didn't want to disappoint his class, who was cheering him on because they were struggling greatly the first few rounds, especially not someone dressed in an ugly Jack Skellington costume.</p><p>It felt so <em>great </em>to win this round because he got to steal the ball from Chrollo and make a reckless shot through the hoop, but he still scored for their team. He showed indifference just to spite Kurapika and said it was just beginner's luck that made him take the victory, Machi and Pairo held him back quickly before he threw hands at the mothefucker.</p><p>"Ignore him, we won!" Pairo laughed, "And you're terrible at basketball!"</p><p>"Shut up." Kurapika hissed.</p><p>"Nice work." Machi high-fived everyone in the team.</p><p>They squeezed in a couple more games following the new schedule, which usually consisted of their usual class time after lunch and recess was over. They sat down in the gym to watch a Halloween movie to wind down after the competition was over. The teachers used that time to gossip and talk among themselves while their kids were seated, faces glued to the large projector showing a kids horror movie.</p><p>“How much longer do we have until the day is over?” Pairo whispered in Kurapika’s ear. Kurapika forgot he didn’t wear his watch with this stupid costume, so he checked his phone instead.</p><p>“Dismissal’s in another hour.”</p><p>“Ugh.” He groaned, leaning on Kurapika’s shoulder. “I’m too pretty for stress.”</p><p>“You call <em>me </em>a drama queen?”</p><p>“<em>Hey!” </em>Machi snapped at two kids trying to makeout at the back at the huddle, seated cross-legged on the gym floor, “no more of that stuff or else I’m gonna separate you.”</p><p>“Sorry Miss Komacine.” They chorused, guilty.</p><p>“Can you believe this?” Machi asked them, “<em>every time</em>.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, they’ll be broken up in another week.” Pakunoda winked.</p><p>“How’s your day going?” Pairo asked. “...How’re you guys dealing with the Bobby situation? After he got sent to Rat Hell?”</p><p>“Please don’t say the words <em>Rat Hell </em>unironically.”</p><p>“I’m just quoting who I heard it from.”</p><p>“I’m going to get them a class pet.” Kurapika answered. “They want a goldfish. And they want to name it Nemo.”</p><p>“Aw, that’s adorable.”</p><p>“I’m just afraid they’ll end up killing it. Remember what happened to Igloo?”</p><p>“I’m sure they didn’t mean to flush him down the toilet.”</p><p>“<em>It was a turtle</em>. Since when do you flush turtles down the toilet? I should’ve never let them take him along during bathroom break.”</p><p>“Igloo will be missed.” Pairo crossed his chest, “how’s it going with you and Single Hot Mr. Surgeon?”</p><p>The ability for him to come up with new nicknames every week baffled him. The kids are giggling and chatting while the movie plays, if they get too loud, they’re told to quiet down, so they’re keeping the volume at a reasonable level.</p><p>“Since I embarrassed myself at Knuckle’s? Pretty much the same.”</p><p>“Ugh. You’re taking the boring route. Why can’t you just tell me you sucked his dick already?”</p><p>“<em>Pairo</em>.”</p><p>“If it was a lie I’d still believe you.”</p><p>“I don’t wanna mess things up.”</p><p>“So, you can pay him back by asking him on a date, maybe?” Pairo arched a brow, “that chicken noodle soup was such a <em>horrible </em>cockblock. This way, you can continue where you left off!”</p><p>“No. I’m not doing that.”</p><p>“So you’re gonna wait around for him to ask you out?”</p><p>“We already both agreed we’re not going to take it <em>that way</em>! Besides, what if he’s seeing someone and I’m misreading?”</p><p>“Didn’t you <em>almost </em>fuck at his house—”</p><p>“—<em>shh</em>!” Kurapika nudged him in the arm, “we. We didn’t. We just almost kissed.”</p><p>“But you were gonna fuck.”</p><p>“No we weren’t, I was hungover, and he offered me a bowl of chicken noodle soup and he basically said that maybe if I repaid him with a kiss I’d be returning the favor but we couldn’t do that because— it spilled on his sweats.”</p><p>“Call me back when you’re done being boring.” Pairo sighed, “I’m gonna get some water. I’m parched.”</p><p>He’s tempted to ask Machi for her hidden flask so he can pour some of it in his thermos.</p><p>Pickup was hectic today because of all the hype from the sports competition and game activities during their brief class periods. Gon quickly stopped mourning Bobby because he was happy that they were getting a class pet and it was the least of Kurapika’s worries they were planning on keeping a <em>rat</em>. Since the auditorium was temporarily closed for the time being, they had pick-up at the school yard in forty degree weather in their flashy costumes while waiting for their parents and guardians to arrive.</p><p>Killua rushed up to Kurapika while he was waving at the kids being dismissed, tugging on his tunic. “They took Gon!” he exclaimed.</p><p>“Who did?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Bigfoot!”</p><p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p><p>Kurapika looked among the sea of swarming children and he didn’t spot a young boy dressed as a carrot anywhere. Some of the other teachers were outside dismissing the students, so Kurapika bolted back into the building.</p><p>“Hey, Pika!” Pairo’s speaking with another teacher, “what’s up?”</p><p>“Gon’s missing, <em>again</em>.”</p><p>“I thought I just saw him leave the classroom with the other kids.”</p><p>“That’s what I thought too, then Killua just told me he was taken.”</p><p>“I found the bastard!” Phinks met them at the front entrance, “the guards chased him down the halls.”</p><p>Kurapika and Pairo looked at each other.</p><p>“I’m coming too.” Killua caught up to them. “I know where they took Gon.”</p><p>They ended up following Killua where the security guards had been chasing the student for the past several hours.</p><p>“Make sure he doesn’t get away this time!”</p><p>“Gon?” Killua’s voice alerted everyone else.</p><p>“Hi Killua.” Gon’s gnawing on a piece of chocolate.</p><p>“Where were you?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“The guy in the bigfoot suit gave me candy.” Gon said. They looked at each other. “He was really nice.”</p><p>“Guy?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“Found him!” One of the guards alerted.</p><p>They once again spotted them leaving their hiding place in one of the restrooms and making a break for it. Shoving the janitors passing by with garbage cans out the way and knocking them over.</p><p>“Oh no you don’t.” He might be able to ditch them, but Kurapika was faster. He tackled the man in the costume to the ground. <em>No one </em>laid a finger on his students.</p><p>They huddled around the culprit, the guards heaved up the man.</p><p>Phinks removed his mask.</p><p>They stared at him, appalled.</p><p>
  <em>“HISOKA?!” </em>
</p><p>“He’s the one who gave me candy!” Gon beamed.</p><p>“So it wasn’t a student.” Pairo said.</p><p>“Well it seems to me I’ve been caught.” Hisoka sighed. “What a shame.”</p><p>“Why the fuck are you going around scaring people?” Phinks asked.</p><p>“I just thought it’d be nice to show some Halloween spirit.”</p><p>“You’re kiddin’ me.” Phinks said, dumbstruck.</p><p>“We found ‘em.” Dalzollene reported to Morel. He glanced at Hisoka tiredly and rolled his eyes. “Just the janitor.”</p><p>
  <em>“So it ain’t a student?!”</em>
</p><p>“Nope.” Dalzollene put down his walkie. “Get outta the damn costume, will ya?”</p><p>Netero walked in, the nurse supporting his weight by having her hands thrown over his back along with Morel, there to approach the situation. He laughed. “Goodness gracious! So this is what all the hubba was about!”</p><p>“This bastard’s been scarin’ people left and right and fooled us into thinkin’ he was a student!” Dalzollene explained.</p><p>“Well I commend you then!” Netero praised. Everyone was <em>stupefied </em>by his response, yet, it’s nothing surprising at all from their principal. “I admit I was itching for something entertaining to happen.”</p><p>“Are you letting him off? At least punish the guy or something.” Morel said.</p><p>“It <em>was </em>just a prank.” Hisoka added gently.</p><p>“<em>You </em>be quiet!” Dalzollene barked.</p><p>“I should shouldn’t I?” Netero chuckled. “Well. That’s enough fun for today. Your hours of cleaning are extended overtime. Help me get back to my office.” he whispered to the nurse.</p><p>She nodded, both of them leaving with Morel.</p><p>The security guards hauled Hisoka off.</p><p>“Thanks for the candy!” Gon smiled. Kurapika was beyond exhausted at this point.</p><p>“That was. Anti-climatic at best.” Pairo said.</p><p>“Tell me about it.” Phinks grumbled. The crowd that formed in the hallway slowly dispersed.</p><p>“You really like running off don’t you?” Kurapika asked Gon as he escorted both boys back outside, something told him that Gon willingly went with the man rather than being snatched away outright because he was in such a good mood and not at all terrified. Most kids would’ve pissed their pants in that predicament.</p><p>“Why was everyone saying he was so scary?”</p><p>“Because you don’t dress up as bigfoot and scare people.” Kurapika sweetly reminded him. This child was going to be the death of him.</p><p>“Oh.” Killua told Kurapika, “my brother’s gonna pick us all up today.”</p><p>Kurapika blinked, “but I thought Gotoh did.”</p><p>“Well Amane’s grandma Tsubone is taking her and Canary home today ‘cause they’re gonna hang out together and go trick-or-treating together. Gotoh’s gonna pick up Kalluto later after they’re done with band practice. They're also gonna hang out with friends.” Ah. Amane was dressed up in a chocolate costume because she wanted to match with Canary. It was quite adorable. “My siblings are on the playground. So we’ve been playing there since.”</p><p>“I don’t see h—”</p><p>A man with the tallest heels Kurapika’s ever seen walked into the courtyard. His jumpsuit consisted of black leather, hugged his curves <em>distractingly so</em>— hair carefully pulled back in a long ponytail that swished behind him with every confident step he took, white gloves donned on his wrists and the sleeves crafted on the outfit hung off his arms like bat wings.</p><p>Kurapika hated a lot of parental guardians in his line of work. But <em>no one </em>could beat the sheer rage he felt when he laid his eyes on Illumi Zoldyck.</p><p>He strutted into the school yard like no one’s business, knowing all eyes were on him and he ignored the attention. Approaching Kurapika, removing the square-rimmed glasses off his face.</p><p>“I heard everyone was playing dress-up day today.” Illumi said gracefully.</p><p>“YHE day.” Kurapika responded bitterly. “I’m assuming you don’t have a flight to catch tonight?”</p><p>“Not in particular. So I thought I’d have some <em>fun</em>.” Illumi smiled sweetly. “Aren’t you dressed cute?” he sized down Kurapika.</p><p>“Ocarina of Time.” Kurapika responded, arsed.</p><p>“My mother can dress better than that.”</p><p>“I don’t think outfits fit for a whorehouse are appropriate for a school occasion.”</p><p>Gon’s just licking a lollipop, blissfully unaware of the situation.</p><p>“Why are you dressed like that?” Killua asked.</p><p>“<em>Shut up you little brat.</em>” Illumi hissed, “it’s called <em>fashion</em>. At least I don’t dress up as vegetables as a fashion statement.”</p><p>“You look like walking Latex if it were a human being.”</p><p>“Careful or I’d just eat you.”</p><p>“You hate broccoli too.”</p><p>“My little brother,” Illumi chuckled, “he’s quite the jokester isn’t he?”</p><p>“Yes.” Kurapika said, tight-lipped.</p><p>God, the costume suited him so well Kurapika wanted to punch him. Why did he look so good in everything he wore? He’s just rubbing it in Kurapika’s face. He was better at him in everything and better than he’ll ever <em>be</em> and can just walk in the school in a hot costume. Simply because he felt like it.</p><p>“Illu!” Alluka and Nanika left the playground to join Killua.</p><p>“Hey.” Illumi said.</p><p>The two were dressed up as Mario and Luigi respectively. They didn’t join in on the Pickled Pepper match squad with foods.</p><p>“Look at how much candy I won.” Nanika held up a plastic bag of candy goods.</p><p>“We played Duck Duck Goose today!” Alluka beamed.</p><p>“Cool.” Illumi and Kurapika were still staring each other down. “Hey. You guys wanna go trick-or-treating tonight?”</p><p>“Yes!” Alluka and Nanika agreed.</p><p>“I guess.” Killua muttered. “Hey Gon, are you going trick-or-treating?”</p><p>“I’d have to ask my dad.” Gon said. “But I hope we see each other!”</p><p>Illumi let his two sisters cling to his hands. Killua’s already leaving the school yard. “I bet you thought you saw the last of me. Get used to my presence. Trust me. I won’t be going anywhere.”</p><p>“Consider me delighted.” Kurapika said impassively. He watched them leave and quietly started to fume. In a way, he got what he wanted. Someone else who can look after the Zoldyck that’s a blood relative and could pass off as their guardian, because their actual parents were pretty much useless in that category despite having their name scribbled down on all their records. He wished it wasn’t the most incompetetent, luxurious-looking <em>Dragula model </em>that had their face all over magazines, news articles, television, and even merchandise.</p><p>“My dad’s here!” Gon jumped, hand latched in Kurapika’s.</p><p>Leorio met them at the front center of the courtyard.</p><p>“Hey what up little man?!” They engaged in their typical handshake.</p><p>“Killua and I found a rat today!” Gon replied.</p><p>“Wow! Is that so?!”</p><p>“Yeah, so this morning, we had this assembly. Then all of a sudden there're rats everywhere in the auditorium. Everyone’s freaking out. We saw one sneak under our feet and I told Killua we should find it, so we left our seats to find it. Then we named it Bobby, but then Mr. Kurta said we couldn’t keep it, so Killua said he was going to Rat Hell! And then we decided to have a goldfish as a class pet instead and name it Nemo! And then we played games in the gym and it was really really fun! We won first place for our team! Also, Mr. Hisoka dressed up as bigfoot today and offered me a lot of candy for being good!”</p><p>“Happy Halloween Mr. Paladiknight.” Kurapika said tiredly at his <em>addled </em>expression. “I’m going to go take off this Link costume.” he waved at Gon and smiled at Leorio, turning around. He liked seeing Leorio. He <em>liked </em>Leorio. Just the pure exhaustion that came out of today with the assembly, Netero’s injury, and <em>Hisoka</em>— he needed everyone to be dismissed so he could sit at his desk and finish some work he had to do then proceed to bang his head against his desk.</p><p>“Mr. Kurta?”</p><p>Kurapika stopped walking. He turned around again. Leorio had Gon lifted up against his hip, approaching him in that stupidly sexy Solid Snake costume.</p><p>“You must’ve had a long day. I mean. Look at everyone.”</p><p>“Every year’s pretty much the same. Except, we reprimanded two students last year for impersonating Micheal Myers and going around pretending to stab kids with plastic forks.” Kurapika laughed, “so as you can see, we have <em>great times </em>here.” <em>Kill me. </em></p><p>“Do you wanna come and have lunch with us?” Leorio asked. “I-I mean. I’m really sorry you guys had such a crazy day and they put you through so much trouble.”</p><p>“I… did have work to do.” Kurapika answered, “but I can always leave it for later.” His lesson plans got mixed up because he had to make space for Halloween activities rather than their normal curriculum. But now he had to make up for that by arranging today’s lesson for next week.</p><p>“Great, great!” Leorio smiled, “okay so Gon and I actually gotta go get changed.”</p><p>“What?!” Gon asked, “I wanna stay in my carrot costume! We’re going trick-or-treating later!”</p><p>“You don’t wanna change back and wait until later to change again?”</p><p>“No!”</p><p>“Sounds like he really enjoys his carrot costume.” Kurapika laughed.</p><p>“Ay yai yai,” Leorio sighed, “he’s the boss man. He makes the rules.” he planted a big fat kiss on Gon’s cheek, and the boy giggled. “I love him to death. So do you mind waiting for us? The offer’s… uh, still up to you. It’s my treat. Just give me half-an-hour to go back home and get changed. Gon and I will be waiting outside.”</p><p>“Okay.” Kurapika’s still processing the fact that he’s being <em>asked </em>to spend the day with him and Gon at all. Normally after a crazy day like this he’d finish up work and go home, crashing in his bed <em>immediately </em>before curling up in bed with a glass of wine and binging conspiracy theory and true crime documentaries for the night. Sometimes with Pairo because he liked to crash at his place rather than spend time in his own.</p><p>He changed out of his sweaty costume with the spare outfit he kept in his bag for the end of the day in the restroom. The hat on his head left his hair a mess and he spent an hour brushing through it to make sure it looked <em>decent</em>. He got his work done in his classroom when all the kids had left already, just a few remaining staff roaming the halls tending to their own responsibilities. When Kurapika finished, it was dark out already.</p><p>“Oh, crap.” He didn’t send a single text to Leorio, grabbing his jacket and rushing outside.</p><p>Leorio stood there waiting in the parking lot, swapping his costume for a pullover hoodie, a jacket, washed-out dark jeans and boots. Probably the most casual Kurapika’s seen him instead of his slim-fitted suits and sweatshirts, and collared shirts. Kurapika did some last minute fixes with his hair (<em>dumb hat) </em>and mustered up the best smile he could only running on five hours of sleep.</p><p>“I… was expecting to see my son’s teacher in a Link costume.” Leorio quipped.</p><p>“You seem disappointed.”</p><p>“No! You… you look<em> great.</em>” Leorio gestured to the dark, maroon dress and thigh-high boots. A little entranced, a flicker of intensity in his eyes that made Kurapika shiver.</p><p>“I was in a sweaty costume for eight hours.” Kurapika lifted up his messenger bag strapped over his shoulder. “Where’s Gon?”</p><p>“Daaaad!” Gon whined from the car, “I’m hungry!”</p><p>“There’s my little munchkin.” Leorio cackled. “He gets irritated when he’s hungry. But I know a place. After you,” he led Kurapika to the passenger’s side, opening the door and waiting for him to slip inside so he could shut it behind him.</p><p>“Killua gave me one of his yo-yos today.” Gon didn’t even question why Kurapika was in the car with them when Leorio got inside, continuing to ramble on about the events that happened today like it was normal. It’s no different than how they interact at school— except discipline wasn’t as strictly enforced. He saw the way Leorio proudly responded whenever Gon announced an achievement he made, how he responded with great enthusiasm when he explained something new they learned, or what he did with his friends, how much fun he had. Kurapika saw tired parents pretend to listen to their children ramble on about their day but he could tell that they were disappointed that they had to look after their children again because the school day was over.</p><p>Leorio was just like those tired parents. He had shifts that spanned from fifteen to twenty-four hours a day, but he <em>always </em>made sure he’d have time to see Gon, even if it wasn’t consistently or <em>on time</em>, his enthusiasm was beyond those of the parents Kurapika spoke with during pickup times. He always made sure to ask how his day was, check if he had all his things in his bag and didn’t lose anything, he made sure that Gon was listened to and wasn’t talking to neglectful parent who just about barely cared what their child was up to as long as they were back in their care and to be taken home without a single word.</p><p>It’s upsetting, really, how easy it was to tell how much love and care was shown toward a child by the way they interacted with their parents and the lack of it. While familial love was always shown differently, Kurapika’s grown accustomed to the different kinds of parents he’s been exposed to within this environment and from the lens as someone part of a team of dedicated educators that it wasn’t the <em>best</em> out there. Yorknew had its mixed reputation for the neighborhood it resided in, meaning the reception wasn’t the greatest for its troublemaking kids from various different homes, personal issues, and overall performances.</p><p>There was this Latin American restaurant just a little deeper into the heart of the city— Gon was craving, and it was the first idea that came to Leorio’s mind. This didn’t count as a <em>date</em>, exactly, not when Gon was there coloring a drawing while he messily ate his carne asada and talked a lot about the games they played in class today.</p><p>He’s telling Leorio about the PTA horror story with Illumi and he’s laughing about it.</p><p>“So that’s why you saw me wasted out of my mind rambling about some rich fancy pants who loves wearing Balenciaga.” Kurapika said, “which, again, I feel extremely sorry about the trouble I put you through.”</p><p>“No, I thought it was kinda funny—” Kurapika smacked him in the arm, “—but I’m also sorry the meeting sucked.”</p><p>“I have to see his face like every day now. He came to school dressed up as Bayonetta. I hate it.”</p><p>“Was it hideous?”</p><p>“No.” Kurapika grumbled, frustrated.</p><p>“So the Zoldycks are just a bunch of entitled rich people.”</p><p>“Seems like it. Though, this is just their older brother. Who knows what the rest of them are actually up to, if one of them is already this insufferable. I prefer Gotoh better.”</p><p>“How does this color look?” Gon asked, showing the picture of a colorful hamburger he was drawing that looked more green than it should be.</p><p>“Looks great.” Leorio looked it over, “maybe you could use some reds. The green bun does look dope.”</p><p>“Okay.” Gon took the red crayon and started scribbling away. “I’m gonna do the fries next.” he’s already filled out the crossword puzzle, and Leorio had to pick up a napkin to wipe his mouth and hands so he didn’t stain his coloring paper.</p><p>“I saw bruises on Killua’s face.” Kurapika confessed. Gon didn’t hear those words, humming along and bouncing his leg to the song playing on the restaurant radio. Another family walked in to occupy a seat, tended to by another waitress.</p><p>Leorio eyed him intensely, “how’s he?” he asked, quieter.</p><p>“He’s… still acting the same, a little better, every now and then.” Kurapika said. “The bruises are new though. When I asked he said that he fell during recess.”</p><p>“Oh.” Gon looked up from his paper, “Killua tells me that he fights with his mom a lot.”</p><p>Leorio and Kurapika exchanged looks. “Fights?” Leorio asked, “whaddya mean by that, ranita?”</p><p>“He doesn’t get along with his brothers and his mom.” Gon said. “He tells me how he hates them and stuff because they’re mean to him.”</p><p>“I see…” Kurapika mused. Killua’s never told him any of that. He didn’t know much about his family to begin with, but it made sense why he’d tell Gon.</p><p>“Did you notice this recently?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Maybe last week?”</p><p>“Man, that’s… tough stuff.”</p><p>“Actually, it’s fine. It’s nothing that I can’t handle.” He’s approached cases like this with children and dealt with hostile parents claiming that he was sticking his nose into business that wasn’t <em>his</em>— but he couldn’t stand to see his own student suffer quietly with the fear of telling anyone about it. “I can’t force it out of him if he won’t tell me, but who else can I tell? The Zoldycks are a very powerful influence and everyone pretty much fears getting involved with them personally, so they try to keep it as cordial as possible. But I don’t mean to tell you this.” Kurapika watched the way Leorio unconsciously rubbed the top of Gon’s head through the costume he was still wearing, coloring away.</p><p>“He’s not your kid, Kurapika.” Leorio said gently. Something in those words made Kurapika tick before he realized it.</p><p>“I know he isn’t.” He defended, “but who am I to ignore what they’re going through? Parents rely on me to watch over them and make sure they’re not isolating themselves so they can grow properly. I’m not doing my job if I just brush it aside and leave it to them when some of these parents don’t even care about their kids."</p><p>He saw Leorio’s slightly widened eyes, and he retracted back. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“It’s fine.” Leorio said, “...I understand where you’re coming from. But sometimes, there’s situations you can’t help. Things are like this for a reason. Trust me. I know. You start to blame yourself endlessly for not doing anything sooner. Sometimes the most you can do is help the best you can, and if nothing’s working, you just stay out of it. Let it play out on its own.”</p><p>“I just can’t help but feel his potential is being ignored because no one appreciates it enough.”</p><p>“What <em>can</em> you do?” Leorio asked, but it wasn’t the question Kurapika could answer right away. He shouldn’t get involved in Killua’s life, even if something greatly urged him to. Like the bruises. The backpack on the playground. The way he only warmed up because Gon had arrived toward all the other children when he was the polar opposite beforehand. He looked like he could only be at his best <em>when </em>he was around the people he cared about and the happiest Kurapika’s ever seen him. They were all so young, and didn’t deserve to be put through so much neglect.</p><p>“Done!” Gon showed them his colorings, and the conversation dissipated quickly after that.</p><p>“Hey, this is awesome!” Leorio high-fived Gon, “we should keep it.”</p><p>“Can we?!”</p><p>“Of course! Steph says we can. It’s all yours.”</p><p>“Yay!”</p><p>Kurapika smiled. As long as Gon was around, at least he didn’t have to worry about Killua being sad for long. He brightened up the days of so many of his classmates he probably wasn’t even aware of it, the way he brought them together.</p><p>“I had a patient lose his shit today because he recognized my costume.” Leorio said, the topic averted to something much lighter, “I would’ve appreciated it if it weren’t in the middle of me stitching up like, five stab wounds in his abdomen.”</p><p>“He’s having a moment.” Kurapika teased, “not often you get to see Snake in the operating room.”</p><p>“He just started flatlining a second after he started freakin’ out! It was scary stuff! Pietro and I had to calm him down.”</p><p>“Was he okay?”</p><p>“Yeah. He couldn’t talk when we put him under anesthesia and he had an oxygen mask over his face <em>but</em>, I definitely got the memo.”</p><p>“I can see why wearing costumes to operate on live human beings, who react to said things, is dangerous.”</p><p>“...I really wanted to dress up, though.”</p><p>Kurapika ate some of his rice, laughing unceremoniously. “How’s he doing now?”</p><p>“He’s recovering in the ICU. Did you know he got stabbed from jumping into a gang fight to save his best friend?”</p><p>“No.” Kurapika swallowed water from his glass to let the food down easier, it was so <em>good</em>— and apparently one of Gon and Leorio’s favorite restaurants, because they were on first-name basis with the employees there. It turned out that he knew a lot of people on this side of Yorknew because they came from the same streets.</p><p>“Happened right on his college campus.” Leorio explained through a mouthful of chicken, “Apparently there was some beef goin’ on with a bunch of guys his friend knew, they clashed, and he got caught up into it. He said if his friend was going to throw himself into a fight then he’d do it too.”</p><p>“When Pairo and I were in college we were eating junk food in our dorm room and watching chic flicks. Not getting stabbed.”</p><p>“He’s only eighteen, man.” Leorio sighed, “it’s weird. Not that my experience was different. It actually reminded me of the past since the BBFL <em>always </em>got into fights.”</p><p>Kurapika looked up from what Gon was coloring while their conversation drifted, “BBFL?”</p><p>“Knuckle didn’t tell you?”</p><p>“What’s that?”</p><p>“Don’t laugh.” Leorio jabbed a finger at Kurapika, “<em>Please don’t laugh.</em>”</p><p>“I won’t.” Kurapika rolled his eyes. “I promise!”</p><p>“It stands for Bad Boys For Life.”</p><p>“Huh. I expected something worse.”</p><p>“W-What’s <em>that </em>supposed to mean?!”</p><p>“Nothing in particular.” Kurapika winked, “it <em>is </em>cheesy. But it’s not embarrassingly bad. Gon calls his group of friends the Pickled Pepper squad.”</p><p>“The fact that you just compared the two names already makes me feel embarrassed. Look we were young and stupid, okay?”</p><p>“How’d you meet Knuckle?”</p><p>“Knuckle was in a frat.”</p><p>Kurapika cackled, “<em>wow</em>.”</p><p>“I know. He’s a bartender now. But he went to school for business, or something. I forgot. Pietro took me to this party and we met him and Zepile. Ever since they’ve pulled me away from my studies to get into so much dumb shit. Like, Knuckle had these fights with a rival frat house down the block and he’d drag us into it. I wouldn’t even know these guys and probably spoke like, a word to them, next thing I know we’re in the school parking lot dukin’ it out and I actually got tased once.”</p><p>This was probably the most of Leorio’s life Kurapika was being told about, and every bit of it was intriguing.</p><p>“Ah, so it seems like incoming frat boys haven’t learned their lesson on how to not be idiots.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“What about you?” Leorio asked curiously.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You didn’t experience a college life of crazy frat boys that dragged you into near death experiences you couldn’t get out of in the name of a blood oath, did you?”</p><p>“I went to college near my hometown, which was pretty small.” Kurapika laughed, “Um, it wasn’t in Yorknew. I went for law, originally, and then I didn’t. So I left, traveled all the way to Yorknew to go to school for teaching.”</p><p>“Is there a reason?” Leorio asked, “why you switched?”</p><p>“I hated it.” They both laughed, but Kurapika was being genuine. “I spent most of my childhood teaching other kids about our background because my mom really needed the help. I just let that go because my dad thought it was a good idea to take that energy and focus that on law and— coming from someone who <em>owns </em>a law firm, his first instinct is to push it all on his children.”</p><p>“At least you were able to drop it.” Leorio snorted, “man— I— I wished that I just… threw it all away.”</p><p>“Why?” Kurapika asked. “Do you… not love what you do?”</p><p>“It’s not that I don’t.” Leorio said, “I just wasn’t prepared for all the bad parts to come along with it until it ends up outweighing the good parts.”</p><p>Gon interrupted their intimate conversation before Kurapika could say anything. “Can Mr. Kurta go trick-or-treating with us?!” he asked, bouncing in his seat.</p><p>“Um—” Kurapika laughed, “I—”</p><p>“Trick-or-treating!”</p><p>“Gon, Mr. Kurta has to go home—”</p><p>“—<em>no</em>!”</p><p>“We have to go.” Leorio whispered to Kurapika. People were looking at them now.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“He’s gonna start throwing his temper tantrum.”</p><p>Kurapika was speechless, “I—”</p><p>“Trick-or-treating!” Gon banged his fists on the table. “I wanna go trick-or-treating!”</p><p>“We are!”</p><p>“With Mr. Kurta!”</p><p>“Okay.” Kurapika confessed. He had no idea <em>why </em>he said yes, but he panicked, and it was the only way to stop the tantrum from worsening. “Okay, I’ll go.” he paid for the bill because he refused to let Leorio do it, the three of them rushed outside.</p><p>“I’m really sorry.” Leorio said, “I was just planning on asking you to eat with us because you looked really exhausted and had a long day.”</p><p>“I can… trick-or-treat, for an hour or two.” Kurapika offered. <em>What am I doing? </em></p><p>“That means we’ll have to change back. Into our costumes.”</p><p>“I am fully aware of that.”</p><p>“Killua’s coming!” Gon said, “Illumi’s taking him, Alluka, and Nanika while Canary stays over at her friend’s house.”</p><p>On second thought, Kurapika didn’t want to go anymore the instant he heard Illumi was coming along.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He had to endure two hours of going door to door with Gon, Leorio, Killua, his sisters, <em>and </em>Illumi.</p><p>Kurapika pulled out his phone to text Pairo, the kids harmoniously chanted “trick-or-treat!” at the next door, and Leorio’s accompanying them there in case they get snatched inside or offered drugs, or something along the lines of that.</p><p>“Where’s their oldest sibling?” Kurapika asked, referring to Kalluto.</p><p>“They’re trick-or-treating with friends.” Illumi’s texting on his phone.</p><p>“If you’re barely going to engage in conversation with them, why even come along?”</p><p>“Don’t worry, he’s not my type.” Illumi said slyly, smiling at Kurapika. “I see what you’re doing, though.”</p><p>“Supervising them since clearly that’s not your strong point?”</p><p>“Those are your students.” Illumi clarified, “I think that was pretty obvious that was my point, but you’re a little slow, which is fine.” And Kurapika would use this sword if murder were legal. “You’re using Gon as a reason to get closer to his daddy, is that it?”</p><p>“That’s— <em>not</em>— what my intentions are.” Kurapika bluffed. “My intentions are none of your concern.”</p><p>“You could’ve been a little more subtle.” Illumi stared him down, “I can tell how rich he is by the car he drives and the watches he wears.”</p><p>“What are you implying?”</p><p>“Being a little bit of a gold digger takes you a long way doesn’t it?”</p><p>“I’m not going to be told this by someone who is fucking a school janitor. The need to reassure your power and wealth is a little depressing.”</p><p>“You know I’m right.”</p><p>“Okay!” Leorio had Gon seated on top of his shoulders. “Next house.”</p><p>“I’ve gotta drop by somewhere. I’m waiting on someone.” Illumi shoved Killua forward, “I’ll be back in an hour.”</p><p>“Are you going to ditch us to see your stupid boyfriend again?”</p><p>“Go play with your sisters.”</p><p>Killua flipped him off.</p><p>“Are you going to seriously leave them with m—” Illumi sauntered off midst Kurapika’s sentence.</p><p>What would he have expected from someone around his age, but had zero parental responsibility because his modeling career and his creepy boyfriend was much more important than three younger siblings he was clearly supposed to be taking care of.</p><p>“Where’d Illumi go?” Leorio offered Kurapika a lollipop.</p><p>“He went to go see his boyfriend.” Kurapika responded, taking the lollipop.</p><p>“I thought he was their ride.” Leorio jerked his thumb at them trading candies in their pumpkin buckets.</p><p>“Me too.” Kurapika answered. "<em>Me too.</em>" he repeated gravely.</p><p>“Um.” Leorio raked his fingers through his hair, “hey, Killua?”</p><p>“What do you want old man?”</p><p>Leorio glared at him. “When’s your brother coming back?”</p><p>“Probably never.”</p><p>Leorio frowned. “Haha, but he’s your <em>ride</em>.”</p><p>Killua shrugged. “Not anymore.”</p><p>"Don't you have a chaffeur or something? The guy with the glasses that drops you off in the mornings."</p><p>"His shift ends at seven."</p><p>Kurapika gave Leorio a look that said <em>don’t look at me</em>.</p><p>"Dear God." Leorio muttered. "So who wants to do more trick-or-treating?!"</p><p>"Me!" Gon, Alluka, and Nanika chorused brightly.</p><p>"Whatever." Killua answered flatly.</p><p>They spent the last hour trick-or-treating, and then Alluka and Nanika wanted to come to Gon’s place. Leorio didn’t have the heart to tell them they should go home. It was eight thirty PM, and still a little early, so he allowed them to raid the house for another hour and a half.</p><p>Gon casually asked if Kurapika could come with them. Once again, he couldn’t just say <em>no </em>to that or he’d be upset. He blurted out a yes before he could stop himself. Kurapika had work to do, so he asked if he could get changed <em>again</em> and do work on the dining table while the kids played with Nog and Leorio entertained them for a bit.</p><p>“What was Gon saying about rats in the school assembly this morning?” Leorio heaved Gon’s overflowing candy bucket on the table.</p><p>“I have no idea.” Kurapika huffed a tired breath. “For the time being the exterminators suggested we close the auditorium.”</p><p>“For how long?”</p><p>“After Christmas break.”</p><p>“That’s terrible.”</p><p>“Gotta love spontaneous rodent infestations.”</p><p>Leorio handed him a glass of water. “You have any idea when Mr. Zoldyck’s coming back?”</p><p>“Who, that <em>prick</em>?” Kurapika’s still seething over Illumi calling him a <em>gold digger </em>of all things. “I highly doubt he’s coming back.”</p><p>“Hey.” Killua held up his <em>smartphone</em>, “I just got a text from Illumi that he’s not coming back.”</p><p>Leorio looked at Kurapika.</p><p>“Well he’s not coming back.” Kurapika shrugged, drinking his water. "Do you mind?" he asked, fetching a pack of cigarettes from his bag. He didn't understand Leorio's blanched facial expression. </p><p>“Who’s gonna drive them back?!” Leorio asked frantically.</p><p>"Is that a no?"</p><p>"Yeah you can light one up but just not in front of the kids. Secondhand smoke's bad. But seriously, did their brother just ditch their own siblings for a <em>date</em>?! Are you kidding me?!"</p><p>“I told you he was a prick." Kurapika lit up the cigarette with his spare lighter, sticking it in his mouth. He took a slow inhale, smoke clouding his vision when he released. "You have a car." he took another puff.</p><p>Leorio gestured toward the children. “No fucking way I’m drivin’ those ki—”</p><p>One of the base pyramid ceiling lights was knocked right off and fell directly on the coffee table, resulting in a loud crashing noise, and breaking glass.</p><p>There Nanika sat on the floor along with Alluka, Gon, and Killua. Their hands wrapped around the dangling strings.</p><p>“We were swinging on the ceiling light!” Gon said, “And then it broke off.”</p><p>“We fell.” Nanika added.</p><p>“I just paid a fortune to get those lights installed.” Leorio murmured, awestruck. “Shoot’s gonna kill me.”</p><p>Kurapika dropped his cigarette. Too busy gawking than to say <em>anything</em>.</p><p>"On second thought." Leorio broke the awkward silence, "I'll drop them off."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>God damn these Zoldycks.</p><p>Leorio wasn’t left with just Killua and Gon, but Killua’s siblings too. He babysat Gon and his friends when they came over and broke a total of twelve things in a single visit. He’s mourning over the loss of his broken ceiling light now.</p><p>Shoot came over to install a new window for the balcony sliding glass door, and each visit he doubled the price for each visit because Leorio was his most frequent customer— then they peeled off the entire carpet to replace it with a fresh new one.</p><p><em>Next time I come back I’m tripling the price</em>, he said. Leorio felt bad for having a checkbook ready for when he had to compensate for the constant damage Gon and his friends caused, all because he turned around for one single second and then there’s a giant hole in the wall.</p><p>He told Kurapika that he’d be right back because he wanted to drop off the Zoldyck kids. Gon wanted to come with them. They've been fed wings heated up in the microwave because Leorio was far too tired to make actual dinner and they wolfed it down while they played video games on the Switch and watched cartoons in the living room, bringing out Gon's lego collection. They’re still in their costumes, but Leorio changed out of his the moment he got back home and threw it in the laundry basket to deal with later for a quick shower and threw on a long-sleeved Henley and a pair of black sweats, slipping his socked feet into Adidas sandals. He twirled his keys around hollered for the kids to start getting ready, pee quickly, and follow him outside because they had to get home now, ignoring their protests to stay longer. They bolted up the staircase for the bathroom while Leorio whistled patiently. Gon still refused to remove his costume despite being <em>home</em>, so he had them squeeze themselves in the car and drove them back to the Zoldyck estate.</p><p>He couldn’t even see the home, instead, just a large gate dividing between the entryway they had to drive into and the home that was up a slight hill.</p><p>Two security guards were there to let them inside.</p><p>“We can take it from here.” Killua said.</p><p>The mansion practically looked like that of a horror movie, probably because it was dark and Leorio could barely see shit. Alluka and Nanika were fine, maintaining the same bubbly energy when they hopped out the car with Killua.</p><p>“Thanks for spending Halloween with us!” Gon waved.</p><p>“Bye Gon!” Alluka waved back.</p><p>“Alright, let’s go.” Leorio saw the frown on Gon’s face. “Hey little man, what’s up?”</p><p>“I miss Killua.”</p><p>Leorio laughed. “You just spent the whole day with him. At school and the rest of Halloween.”</p><p>“I know.” Gon sunk in his seat, which looked comical, because his costume was far too big for him. “But I still miss him.”</p><p>Leorio sighed. “You’ll see him again soon.”</p><p>“I feel like Killua isn’t happy at home.”</p><p>“What makes you say that?”</p><p>“Well he has his siblings and stuff. But he still doesn’t look happy.”</p><p>Leorio said nothing to that. His siblings were darlings, they still broke his furniture, but they weren’t as worse as Killua was. He wouldn’t say that he hated the boy. He was a troublemaker, and some children just simply <em>were </em>troublemakers. But he meant a lot to Gon, and he wouldn’t want to badmouth his friend directly to him. No matter how much the boy did everything in his willpower to piss Leorio off.</p><p>He could see why Kurapika was incredibly worried about him.</p><p>Gon deflated the drive back. Leorio ushered him into the bath and got him out of his carrot costume.</p><p>It was already so late upon coming back, and he was so focused on getting Gon settled that he forgot that he told Kurapika he’d be stepping out so he could have peace and quiet to get his work done. It smelled like faded cigarettes. Leorio's eyes landed on the pack of Marlboro on the table.</p><p>Kurapika fell asleep there, arms crossed over his closed laptop. Back heaving gently with quiet breaths. The cigarette had been put out in a small glass plate he used as a makeshift ashtray. Leorio emptied it into the garbage and washed the dish, cleaning up the snacks and the empty plates lying around from earlier.</p><p>Kurapika wasn’t the only one who was exhausted. Gon passed out in Leorio’s arms the second he carried him into the kitchen to check on Kurapika. He figured he’d want to watch TV until he fell asleep like they usually did. Leorio smiled a little. He took Gon upstairs to his room and tucked him in bed, smoothing his hair back and planting a kiss on his forehead.</p><p>He wasn’t sure if he wanted to wake Kurapika. He too, just ended a morning shift and let Gon drag them around all day. A clock struck midnight and he was relieved the chaotic day was over. Another one would begin in the morning. He took his glasses off and dropped it on the broken coffee table, another day, another broken furniture piece.</p><p>Leorio used his favorite blazer he left on the couch and draped it around Kurapika’s frame, fighting the urge to carry him to the couch where he could at least rest his back and sleep more comfortably.</p><p>He figured he’d take the couch for himself, too tired to walk the trek up to his bedroom across the hall upstairs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It’s three A.M when he heard a sleepy call of his name.</p><p>“Hm?” he asked groggily, his eyes still closed. It’s dark. He felt the presence of another body toppling over on the couch.</p><p>“I should—” a yawn, “—I should go back home.” Kurapika murmured softly.</p><p>“Yeah,” Leorio does not in fact, get up from his couch, instead, he allowed Kurapika to topple right on top of him and lean his head against his chest, “we should get you back.” he slurred.</p><p>“That’d be great.” Kurapika hummed, arms circling Leorio’s waist.</p><p>“Sure.” Leorio yawned as well. “Cool.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Neither of them realize they’re in a cuddling position on the same couch until morning when Gon excitedly said, “morning!” and the two of them lifted their heads, making eye contact, and they scrambled off each other.</p><p>“Yo!” Leorio greeted Gon a little too cheerfully.</p><p>“Good morning Gon.” Kurapika cleared his throat. “How are you?”</p><p>“Good!”</p><p>At least he wasn’t as sad as he was last night when he had to part with Killua. Leorio almost felt bad that he didn’t stay over. “You slept well?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“I stayed the night.” Kurapika raked his fingers through his hair, “Oh my God I stayed the night.” he repeated to Leorio.</p><p>“It’s okay! It’s no big deal!” Leorio said, “you fell asleep.”</p><p>“Why did you let me fall asleep?!”</p><p>“You were already asleep when I came back!”</p><p>“Then you should wake me up!”</p><p>“Can you have breakfast with us?” Gon blatantly asked, eyes beaming. He’s already standing inches away from them and they jumped because they didn’t notice him leave the staircase to approach them.</p><p>Kurapika begrudgingly had a quick breakfast with them.</p><p>“I’m going to call Pairo.” Kurapika bashfully lifted his phone from his bag, shoving his laptop and plastic bag containing his costume inside.</p><p>“Good idea.” Leorio drank from his glass of orange juice. Gon’s stuffing strawberries from his pancake into his mouth. “I’ll walk you out? Gon, use a fork.” Leorio reminded him.</p><p>“I can’ fin’ m’ for’.” Gon said, mouth full and patches of strawberry stuck around his lips. Leorio handed him the fork he accidentally slipped under his plate which he couldn’t find.</p><p>“If you’d like.” Kurapika shoved his foot into his left boot, Leorio’s eyes trailing down the teasing strip of bare thigh until the boot was zipped up all the way. He shucked his jacket over his shoulders, Leorio opening the door and seeing him out.</p><p>“That was.” Leorio rubbed his chin. “Well.”</p><p>“I was half-asleep. Believe me. I barely realized you were on the couch.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Me too. I thought I was dreaming!”</p><p>They laughed. “In fact,” Leorio bluffed even more, “I thought I took you home already.”</p><p>“He won’t… think anything of it.” Kurapika said, lowering his tone. “Right?”</p><p>“Pssh, yeah, of course he won’t!”</p><p>“Great. Perfect.”</p><p>“Coolio.”</p><p>“I should.” Kurapika pointed at his phone.</p><p>“Yeah.” Leorio scratched the back of his head. “Oh. I’m… I’m sorry about Bobby.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Gon and Killua’s rat they had to give away.”</p><p>“Oh. Don’t worry about it. We’re replacing him.” Leorio frowned at that sentence, Kurapika quickly covering himself, “we’re planning on getting a goldfish before Christmas break.”</p><p>“Nemo, was it?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>The stretch of silence was killing him. They stood there, smiling at each other. He then stupidly took Kurapika’s hand, the hand that had his phone in it.</p><p>“Mr. Leorio?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>Leorio closed the distance between them. Whatever possessed him to back Kurapika against the door and slot their lips together gently made him lose all sense of thought, just pure instinct.</p><p>He tasted a hint of <em>strawberry</em>, and the peck had only lasted three seconds. The kiss just a shy away from being anything more, nothing past a curious feel of how the other’s lips felt against his. He blinked once, twice, and felt the warmth radiating from Kurapika’s wrist wrapped around his palm.</p><p>Kurapika’s arm hooked around Leorio’s shoulder and he kissed him square on the lips, his back hit the wall this time, Leorio breathed in through his nose— processing that this <em>was </em>going further, that they’d be reaching out for more at all. His hand roamed against Kurapika’s backside to cop a feel and his lips sliding over Kurapika’s developed into something carnal, teeth catching between his bottom lip to get a taste and the soft whine in his ears sent shivers down his spine.</p><p>His hand searched under the dress fabric and the heat of Kurapika’s bare thigh beneath his palm was scorching, steadily creeping higher. Kurapika’s tongue slipped into Leorio’s mouth, hand gripped tightly on his phone while both his arms locked around Leorio’s shoulders.</p><p>“What’re we—” Lips feathered wet kisses down his neck and he heaved a pleasant sigh, “—what’re we doing?” fingers carded through Leorio’s hair and <em>tugged </em>lightly.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Leorio groaned, pressing his hips closer to Kurapika’s and they both moan gravely— craving the same physical contact they’ve kept hidden for weeks now and the taste of Kurapika’s neck against his lips enough to make him intoxicated with <em>want</em> he hadn’t felt in a long time. All his rational thought flying out the window. “Should we stop?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Kurapika’s phone went off. “It’s— <em>ah</em>— it’s Pairo—” he whimpered <em>beautifully </em>just as he arched against the roll of Leorio’s hips, mouth falling open.</p><p>“Ignore it.” Leorio took the phone away from Kurapika’s hand and tucked it in his pocket, he’s about to suck a mark into Kurapika’s neck when he lifted Leorio’s head staunchly, and sought after his lips hastily. Leorio hooked a thigh over his shoulder.</p><p>“Dad look!”</p><p>They never broke away from each other so fast.</p><p>“I stuck strawberries to my eyes!” <em>Well thank God </em>Leorio was spared from embarrassment, because Gon stuck two flattened strawberries to his eyes. “See!”</p><p>Kurapika took his phone from Leorio’s pocket. “I should get going now!” he ruffled Gon’s hair, “goodbye Gon.”</p><p>“Oh, you’re not staying?” Gon asked. Even with the fruits on his eyes his frown was noticeable.</p><p>“I have to go, but it was nice staying over for breakfast.” Kurapika affectionately gave Leorio’s arm a pat.</p><p>“See you.” Leorio removed the raspiness in his voice with a harsh clear of his throat. Kurapika took the elevator down the first floor, Leorio shutting the door behind him and Gon and removing the strawberries from his eyes.</p><p>“Were you saying goodbye to Mr. Kurta?” Gon asked as Leorio carried Gon over to the sink so he could rinse out his eyes.</p><p>They definitely were <em>not </em>about to fuck against his door just a minute ago. “Yeah.” Leorio gently smeared off the remnants of the strawberries off Gon’s eyes.</p><p>They heard a croak come from somewhere in the house.</p><p>“You took Nog out of his tank again, didn’t you?”</p><p>The croaking came from inside Gon’s shirt.</p><p>“No.” he lied.</p><p>Leorio, hands on either side of Gon on the counter— eyed him sternly. “Gon.”</p><p>“Yeah, dad?”</p><p>“Did you take Nog out of his tank while I was outside speaking with Mr. Kurta?”</p><p>“...Maybe.”</p><p>Nog poked his head out of Gon’s shirt collar. His vocal sac expanded better, so his croaking was loud and clear.</p><p>Leorio gave Gon a disappointed look, a look of the many times Gon took Nog out of his tank and ended up losing him somewhere in the house while he hopped around.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Shut up.” Kurapika pointed at Pairo.</p><p>Pairo opened his mouth. Kurapika stopped him again. “I know what you’re going to say.”</p><p>“I didn’t—”</p><p>“Shut up.”</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“You promised me you won’t say anything. Don’t. Say anything.”</p><p>“Okay.” Pairo leaned back on the couch, hugging a pillow. A Netflix movie droning on in the background they weren’t paying attention while they binged on snacks.</p><p>“Good.” Kurapika also leaned back on the couch, crossing his legs once again.</p><p>“<em>You kissed him ag</em>—”</p><p>Kurapika screamed at him, cheeks flushed beet red as he tackled his friend into the couch and wrestled around to smother him with a pillow. Their neighbor in the next apartment over had to hear them screaming bloody murder while Pairo kept shouting <em>you kissed Leorio </em>every chance he got.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Before Christmas break, his students bombarded him with gifts.</p><p>Pairo commented on the stack of gifts he had lined up at the back of his classroom. Just as he thought this would be the last of it, another student came running up to him with a gift for him. His parents were going to be baffled by the amount of gifts he and Pairo were going to take back home with them.</p><p>Kurapika surprised them with their new class pet the week of, and everyone was so excited to see Nemo that they hadn’t gone straight to their seats when they came in for class that morning— instead, racing over to the fish bowl and fighting over who gets to see Nemo first. They forgot about Bobby just as quickly as he was taken away from them and now Nemo was their favorite being in the whole world.</p><p>A lucky student would be graced with the opportunity to take Nemo home with them for break but they had to earn ten stars on the good behavior chart and take full responsibility for the class pet. He was going to be their mascot for the whole school year, so he was begging them to keep the fish alive or else they wouldn’t be getting another one. After Igloo, he’s very reluctant to give second chances.</p><p>The title went to Pokkle for being the first to do good deeds and maintain good behavior for the whole week. They sat at the carpet and read Christmas books, talked about their plans for Christmas and made snowmen on construction paper to commemorate the snow day they can hang next to their Thanksgiving turkeys.</p><p>Leorio sent him a text while the kids were watching a movie in the classroom. It’s a photo of him and Pietro wearing santa hats along with their scrubs.</p><p>As long as they don’t talk about it, move on, and act as normal, Kurapika was fine with this. It was just one kiss, and that’s it.</p><p>Nothing had to come after that.</p><p>He sent Leorio back a selfie of him and the class during their Christmas party, wearing a headband and deer antlers because Machi and Pairo wanted to match with him. They had a brief farewell staff party and wished each other a good Christmas break. It’d be the last day he’d been seeing his class of misfits for a while, so he wanted to make this party he arranged special for them, and he’d admit, it made him a little emotional having to part with Gon especially.</p><p>“Merry Christmas.” Kurapika said to Leorio when they saw each other. The kids were bundled up in their warm, winter coats, rushing outside for their parents and marching over the melting snow from two days earlier.</p><p>He hid a gift behind his back, an impulse decision made a week ago when Leorio mentioned that Killua broke his favorite mug he drank from every morning and still hadn’t offered a single apology for it.</p><p>“I got you this.” Kurapika handed him the neatly wrapped gift.</p><p>“Whoa!” Leorio took it happily, “You didn’t!”</p><p>“I might have.”</p><p>“Thanks—” A snowball chucked at his head and a smiling Killua made Leorio’s face redden with fury.</p><p>“Oops! My bad!”</p><p>“We’re having a snowball fight!” Gon said, him and a group of other kids were throwing snowballs around at each other.</p><p>“Yeah real funny!” Leorio barked at him, “also you shouldn’t be throwing snowballs here—”</p><p>Kurapika scooped up a snowball and playfully tossed it at Leorio’s jacket, catching his attention.</p><p>“—it’s dangerous.” Leorio dully finished, spreading his arms. “Thanks for that. You almost ruined my gift.”</p><p>“They just threw one at your car.”</p><p>“God damn it!”</p><p>Kurapika laughed.</p><p>“I also got something for you.” Leorio remembered. “C’mere.”</p><p>“Mr. Paladiknight—”</p><p>“C’mon!” Leorio beckoned Kurapika to follow him to his car where he opened the trunk. “Have a look for yourself.”</p><p>Kurapika found a gift wrapped in red, the pattern had cartoonish anatomy all over it sealed perfectly with a red and yellow ribbon. He probably borrowed this gift wrap from the hospital. He picked up the gift.</p><p>A snowball hit him in the back. Kurapika turned around to face Leorio. He had a shit-eating grin on his face.</p><p>“I deserved that.” Kurapika smiled.</p><p>Leorio approached him and took both his hands. Kurapika flushed red.</p><p>“Don’t open it until Christmas,” he whispered, “Whatever you do, you can’t open it. You can’t feel it. You can’t even allow yourself to guess what it is. Just wait.”</p><p>Kurapika nodded slowly.</p><p>“Merry Christmas, Kurapika.” Leorio winked. “HEY!” he chased after Gon and Killua, breaking up the snowball fight they engaged in with their friends, “break it up already, will ya?!”</p><p>Killua responded by throwing a snowball at his face.</p><p>Kurapika shut the trunk, tucking the gift in his jacket.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He waited until after the family gathering at home, after he opened his gifts and Pairo’s, which he breathed down his neck all throughout dinner they helped Kurapika’s mother make until they opened it.</p><p>“Now we can match!” Pairo showed the bracelet around his neck that had a locket attached to it.</p><p>“I feel bad for just getting you a book.”</p><p>“It’s okay, you’ll realize the effort I put into it and do better next year.”</p><p>Kurapika smacked him in the arm. “Okay I opened your gift, so am I allowed to open the ones my students gave me?”</p><p>“Hmm.” Pairo pretended to think. Kurapika rolled his eyes. “Now you can.” he smiled.</p><p>“Well.” Kurapika gestured to the pile surrounding them. They took it upstairs so he could open them one by one. “I think my entire class got me gifts.”</p><p>“They really must love you. I got like, three, maybe.”</p><p>“All I did was get them a goldfish.”</p><p>“<em>Clearly </em>that isn’t the reason why they gave you presents, Pika. You’re doubting yourself.”</p><p>Kurapika was overwhelmed when he and Pairo opened up each gift. Most of them were drawings they did of him, letters that they wrote, some gave candles, cologne, candy, pins, and he could tell which ones parents had helped out with and which ones the child put thought into alone. None of them were too big, but they looked over each drawing with newfound admiration.</p><p>“You should hang these up when we go back home.” Pairo said. Kurapika saw Gon’s drawing, consisting of him, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika dressed up as frogs and holding hands, his name written on the bottom of the drawing.</p><p>“I can’t believe they made these for me.”</p><p>“Right? They’re adorable.”</p><p>He’d rather jump out the window before he started sobbing in front of his best friend, so he quickly sniffed and set all the gifts aside.</p><p>“Did he get you anything?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“He wasn’t able to, but he has my gift.” Kurapika said. They shared coy smiles.</p><p>“I should probably help clean up. Mom’s gonna come upstairs and drag us there if we take too long opening gifts.” It kind of reminded Kurapika of how they’d lock themselves in his room while Pairo’s parents came to spend time with Kurapika’s and they refused to answer the door when they knocked because they were busy doing dumb teenage shit. Pairo’s mother nearly busted the door down because she was convinced they were trying to sneak out again.</p><p>“I’m coming.” Kurapika promised Pairo when he stopped at the doorway, waiting for Kurapika. “Go! Tell them I’m putting these gifts back in my luggage.”</p><p>“Fine! Fine.” Pairo opened the door, “your damn funeral.”</p><p>“Fuck you.”</p><p>“Bye!” The door shut behind Pairo. Kurapika rushed to the door and opened it. The hallway was empty, save for a few of their relatives downstairs mingling after the dinner. He shut the door again and crept under his bed where he secretly kept Leorio’s gift without telling Pairo.</p><p>He sat on his bed, gift in his lap.</p><p>He undid the ribbon, heart pounding fast in his chest, and tore the wrapper apart.</p><p>It’s a lovebook.</p><p>A custom made lovebook.</p><p>
  <em>Why Mr. Kurta is The Best Teacher Ever.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love, Room 102.</em>
</p><p>Tears welled up in Kurapika’s eyes, flipping open to the first page.</p><p>Leorio’s scripted handwriting embodied a few paragraphs explaining what was in the lovebook.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Mr. Kurta,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Merry Christmas. I actually bought this about a month before Christmas. I had this made so that I could give it to Gon, and he could write something for you. First come first serve! But here’s the catch. Instead of a journal for just one person, from one person, I write my first letter in here and after Gon writes his I figured he would give the book to every single one of his classmates, your co-workers and friends, but keep it a secret so that you don’t find out that this book exists until I give it to you in person. It worked out pretty great. If Pairo asked you about this gift just know that it’s in your hands by now. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>So here’s a message from me to you: thanks for being a great teacher to my son. I’m glad I met you this year, and I’m glad I chose Yorknew. It’s been such an amazing and welcoming community and it’s really helped me through a really hard time I’ve been going through, so thank you. Here’s to making the school year a hell of a lot awesome together!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Consider me the first letter. Keep reading! :)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Leorio.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Hey Mr. Kurta!!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You’re the BEST techur EVR</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We always do so much fun stuff in ur class and I nevr get bord. I get sad when I hav 2 leav. My dad rlly likes u and I do too. I wish we get 2 stay in ur class 4ever!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gon Paladiknight.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Personalized letters were written just for him by each person he knew in his life, each page dedicated to him consisting of a single letter of why they loved having Mr. Kurta as a teacher, a co-worker, and a friend, all in one.</p><p>That’s why Pairo had asked him about the gift.</p><p>He came across Killua’s letter and the tears started to fall.</p><p>
  <em>Thank you for being a nice teacher to me. You’re the nicest teacher I ever had, and I’m going to miss you a lot this Christmas break.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(P.S Gon forced me to do this.)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Killua Zoldyck.</em>
</p><p>He wiped the tears streaming down his cheeks with a fond smile.</p><p>He wasn’t very keen on gifts, especially that of a holiday they hadn’t celebrated <em>specifically</em> and simply just exchanged small gifts of appreciation and had family get-togethers, but he’d admit that this was the best gift he’s ever received since he was fourteen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>A WEEK BEFORE YHE DAY...</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"We'll pay you five-hundred bucks." Feitan presented a roll of hundred bills of Jenny, "to pull a prank on the school. Dress up as a big scary monster and scare everyone, or something."</p><p>"That's five hundred." Shalnark said, smirking. "Can't pass up on five-hundred bucks."</p><p>"Oh?" Hisoka's seated on the radiator, taking a break from cleaning duty for the evening. "What's in it for you?"</p><p>"See everyone lose their shit." Feitan snorted. </p><p>"I can pull a few tricks from my sleeves..." Hisoka drawled, and he took Feitan's money, tucking it in his shirt.</p><p>"What kinda tricks?" Shalnark asked.</p><p>"You'll see!" Hisoka sang, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I wanted to be a magician, but I'm stuck doing cleaning duty until my true career takes off. It's finally my time to shine. But for the price of a little more I can come up with something that no one here will be prepared for. It'll be such a delight."</p><p>Feitan rolled his eyes. "How much?"</p><p>"I deserve a huge compensation for who I'm consulting for this."</p><p>"Hey, we're not asking you to blow up the school now. Or kill anyone."</p><p>"No one will get hurt, I promise."</p><p>"I hope we can trust you on that." Feitan scowled. He smacked another fifty in Hisoka's hand.</p><p>"Just make sure it's the best prank of the year." Shalnark said.</p><p>"You can count on me." Hisoka licked his lips.</p><p>Feitan and Shalnark left Hisoka to his own devices. They high-fived each other, snickering among themselves for what they have planned.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter: the auditorium will probably open back up in time for the school play to be in production! yay school play arc begins! </p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. am I attracted to you or is it just volatile blood sugars?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the teachers of Yorknew start off the new year by working on a school play called <em>Chimera Ant</em> for their opening night.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hi. to make up for the wait, here's an extra extra long chapter. we have reached the School Play Arc!!</p><p>there's sexual content in this chapter. i have indicated the start and ending of this scene with this emoji "💋" so you may Skip to the end if you please!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The perks of being back home, being able to enjoy his Christmas break and think about work <em>a little </em>less— spend time with Pairo and family, keep in touch with old friends here he’d fallen out of touch with when he left for college.</p><p>The cons— his parents being disappointed that he didn’t come home with news of a surprise engagement.</p><p>It always felt like everyone was more lenient with Pairo because one, he wasn’t interested in dating people at all— and two, Kurapika’s parents spoiled the fuck out of him <em>way too much</em>. Pairo could say that he went bird-watching while he was away and they’d be delighted to hear whatever fucking story about his life outside of Lukso without asking him about a single romantic partner but Kurapika couldn’t avoid that, no matter how much he tried. His mother just loved to make him suffer, so she brought up her <em>matchmaking plan book </em>and said that her friends had interesting potential suitors they could browse through.</p><p>Kurapika just wanted to open gifts, talk with family, and play catch-up now that he was back home. He didn’t want to go on blind dates again. He didn’t do it when he was nineteen, when he dropped law school to apply back to his prior institution for another fucking degree, and he wouldn’t do it again when he’s pushing thirty.</p><p>“His son is the heir to the factory’s business,” his mother was practically gleaming with delight. Pairo was trying not to laugh, drinking from his cup. They made fine Kurtan wine of their own they liked to bring out during special occasions, like old tradition, and tended to drink it when both Kurapika and Pairo were back. “He graduated summa cum laude at YNU, business, minoring in psychology. Helps out in the community center here and he’s raised thousands of Jenny for the ailing children in need at the local hospital.”</p><p>“<em>Ariya</em>,” Kurapika’s father clicked his tongue, “you’re overwhelming him. First thing he gets back and you’re already matchmaking again.”</p><p>“This is a promising opportunity Zoran!”</p><p>“Is it?” Kurapika asked, “...I think that right now, this would be too much of a distraction.”</p><p>“Why is that? You haven’t met anyone and you always come back home to say that teaching is going well and avoid us.”</p><p>“That’s because I have nothing to say.”</p><p>“Liar.” Pairo coughed under his breath. Kurapika glared at him.</p><p>“Oho,” Grandpa Rekan laughed, sitting at the open porch at the front entrance of their home. Kurtan built homes were typically larger than average, “Reminds me of how my mother always asked me when I’d give up training to get married.”</p><p>“Sucks to be you!” Pairo laughed. Kurapika nudged him in the arm. “Mom, I dunno if you realized this, but most people just prefer to be single these days because everyone who gets married ends up being divorced.” he hated how he called Ariya <em>mom </em>when his real mother was cleaning up in the kitchen and his father and Zoran were talking to each other while watching television. Cano and Ashti Lukso (their name derived from the very name of the village, built by their ancestors) were close friends of Kurapika’s parents for decades. They grew up together, while Cano and Ashti owned a family restaurant, Rekan was the village chief, Zoran becoming the village’s small district court leader while Ariya taught aspiring law students in the same building, sanctioned separately.</p><p>Ariya gasped, “how can you say such a thing?!”</p><p>“Half our family’s no longer married.” Pairo deadpanned.</p><p>“You shouldn’t influence Kurapika’s decision by telling him such nonsense.”</p><p>“I’m just saying!”</p><p>“Ashti, you allow him to say these things?” Ariya asked, baffled.</p><p>“I mean you do much better being independent out there than you do here, where everything’s a community effort.” Ashti replied. Cano laughed, and Kurapika snorted. His smile quickly faded when his mother shot him a glare.</p><p>When everything in town was so close within reach the Kurta and the descendants of Lukso remained tight-knit and their reputation made them intimidating to the public eye. Kurapika was aware that his grandpa’s status, being the only village chief after their grandmother had passed— elevated his status in the Kurta family therefore his father had wanted him to finish his studies in law school and aid him in the business until his eventual passing.</p><p>Except, he realized he just wasn’t fit for it.</p><p>He was a little envious how Pairo had the freedom to do whatever he pleased. While his parents preferred him to help out with their restaurant they never put pressure on him when he said he wanted to go to college with Kurapika and he’d become a teacher just like Ariya. Somehow, it was easy for them to understand and let him follow his dreams, saying that their home was always welcome when he needed them. If Kurapika dared to speak out he’d just get into a screaming match with his father that he was being foolish for dropping the family legacy because he wasn’t prepared enough for it.</p><p>He did just about everything to spite him. Locked the bedroom door and snuck out with Pairo to hang out with friends they made at school. Got in trouble for getting into fights with the bullies that hated him because of his status, came home far past curfew because he didn’t wish to speak to him. But because of the demands of his mother that he cooperate he had to put on the image of the child his father wanted out of him and pretend he was still considering.</p><p>He just couldn’t <em>do </em>it. No matter how much he tried. Studied. Poured hours and hours into his work, received his college diploma at seventeen, became a law student at <em>twenty,</em> and didn’t see any changes as a result. He was at a loss. He thought getting a head start should help but it only made him more confused as to his true motives and where he was headed in life.</p><p>He remembered Pairo telling him one day <em>ah, you’re feeling that gifted kid burnout too, huh? </em>Then he remembered when he’d help his mother teach at the community center and the way she opened the eyes of the young children of the village, of much more indigence than Kurapika, grew up to have the brightest futures they never thought they had.</p><p>He didn’t have to settle for something so <em>high </em>above his reach when what he was looking for was right here. Kurapika had been so blind.</p><p><em>He </em>wanted to be the one to implement that motivation into their brains. <em>He </em>wanted to stick by their side and teach them life-long lessons that they should be proud of who they were, and further expand hidden knowledge passed down from generations to their next line of kin. He wanted to give them a reason to be educated on things outside of their bubble, things that he learned when he reached college, just a tad bit farther away from home but still within two hours distance, that he never thought about before and birthed a new curiosity as to what was out there in the world he never knew about.</p><p>And if that pissed off his father, so be it. Kurapika was tired of pleasing someone who expected something he couldn’t give.</p><p>“I’ve allowed far too many excuses.” Ariya scolded lightly, “<em>you must </em>take this man into consideration. Hakim’s such a wonderful man. Did you know that he spontaneously volunteered as a fireman when he was only sixteen?”</p><p>“Do you think him volunteering as a fireman makes him more appealing?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Kinda.” Pairo shrugged. Kurapika stared at him. “What? Who doesn’t like a hot fireman?”</p><p>“You’re not helping.”</p><p>“What’s holding you back?”</p><p>“Pika met so—” Kurapika slapped his hands over Pairo’s mouth, and they started wrestling each other— the same way they’d do in Rekan’s dojo, now run by their uncle Khalil who made it his utmost goal to brand them into skilled fighters against Ariya’s wishes. If Kurapika told someone he was the direct grandchild of a village chief who had the powers equivalent to a senator, the heir to the village's district court and knew how to strangle someone with a pair of chains or break both a man’s arms with a single hand they’d think he walked straight out of the mafia and he was only downplaying himself.</p><p>So as far as his co-workers back at Yorknew knew, when he first got the job there to become an elementary school teacher— he was a law school dropout that decided he wanted to be a teacher because he wanted to broaden the horizons of the new generation and help them gain a new perspective on life and future opportunities.</p><p>They bought that pretty fast. Pairo easily told them he was the son of two restaurant owners, so it wasn’t like he had <em>much </em>to hide. The two graduated from the same college and Pairo offered the teaching job to Kurapika several mental breakdowns later, another four years and he was free from the clutches of academia.</p><p>Ariya blinked, “What?”</p><p>“Nothing, mama.” Kurapika smiled at her. “What he meant to say was that I've<em> met people</em>, but they weren’t all that memorable.”</p><p>Leorio wasn’t one of those people.</p><p>He was memorable.</p><p>And currently, still in Kurapika’s life. He’s ghosted many potential suitors after he left for college and was too busy struggling in the clutches of academia. They’d always be the one to eye him down instead of Pairo who accepted the fact that none of these people would ever have a chance with him because he just <em>didn’t </em>feel the same way in general, not in that way. Kurapika blissfully ignored them.</p><p>There was also no way he was going to let Pairo tell his mother about Leorio, the whole family would find out within two seconds and they hadn’t grown out of their old habits and traditions.</p><p>Which was why he had to go on a date with this Hakim guy and hear him talk about debacles with factory owners, the state of their business, and Kurapika fought the urge to text Pairo how to get himself out of this. They <em>were </em>at the Lukso restaurant, he could just come barrelling in and fake an aneurysm and get him out of this damn date.</p><p>As if it didn’t have any more reason to get worse— when Kurapika told him he was a teacher he looked quite disappointed.</p><p>“I thought your dad had plans for you to become one of the DA’s.” Hakim said.</p><p>“I might’ve not mentioned I threw that law school plan out of the window after my first-year.”</p><p>“That’s not what Mrs. Kurta told me.”</p><p><em>Of course. </em>Kurapika stiffened. <em>At least marry someone who carries their family name with pride. </em>His father’s words rang in his head and he remembered exactly why he’d been trying to spite him all these years— because Kurapika wanted to prove to him he can live his fucking life completely independent as he wanted.</p><p>“I’m teaching at Yorknew.” Kurapika replied, “For five years now, actually. I figured I’d get a degree for something more accustomed to my wants and needs.”</p><p>“The same thing Mrs. Kurta does?”</p><p>“Well I teach children. At an elementary school, as of right now, Kindergarten.”</p><p>Hakim snorted, “well that’s just temporary right?”</p><p>Kurapika was offended that he even asked that, “<em>no</em>, it isn’t. This is what I want.”</p><p>“Lukso needs a DA like you to run things side by side with your dad, Kurapika.”</p><p>“There’s plenty of other prodiges he’s sincerely overlooking.” Kurapika explained matter-of-factly, “besides, I don’t think he needs me anymore when I made my decision a long time ago. I hope that isn’t a problem with you.”</p><p>“Teaching a bunch of kids how to say their ABCs is… something I didn’t really expect from someone like you. Mrs. Kurta talked about you like you had a lot of potential. That’s why I even bothered coming here. I considered you. Not often a promising choice like this comes around. Are you sure you’d want to waste your life doing something like that?”</p><p>Kurapika’s jaw clicked, drinking his water to hide his brewing irritation. “It seems like we do have a problem here. Interesting. Someone that I’ve hardly known until today thinks they can sway me with their unsolicited advice.”</p><p>Hakim’s nose crinkled. “My father invested a fortune into this factory. I have pride. I’d kill myself if I threw that away just for child’s play.”</p><p>“You’re right,” Kurapika decided to play Devil’s Advocate. “It’s a shame for me to go against his wishes when I should be considering the benefits of upholding our family legacy.”</p><p>“You’re better than <em>this</em> all, for sure.” Hakim gestured to the restaurant, and Kurapika just about had it. He can talk down on Kurapika all he pleased, but bringing Pairo and the hard work his family put into this business just as much as this motherfucker’s father did, to enroll him into college, knowing the expenses of travelling far from home— Kurapika didn’t stand for this.</p><p>But he let Hakim sweet-talk him through the whole dinner. He allowed Hakim to drive him home, let him boast about how he knew he was right and that he should reconsider the power that they’d have together knowing he was courting the village chief’s grandchild.</p><p>“You should think about it.” Hakim smiled fondly. “Mrs. Kurta is a woman of her word. I quite enjoyed my time with you.”</p><p>“I did too.” Kurapika’s smile vanished, thin-lipped. Hakim looked puzzled. Kurapika grabbed his arm and whirled around, flipping Hakim over his shoulder with all his might, with ease, at that.</p><p>Hakim hit the pavement with a harsh thud, dust emerged from the fall and Kurapika crouched down, snapping his arm back mercilessly. His eyes flashed red, malevolent.</p><p>“You can talk all you like about my goals, my dreams, my life choices all you <em>want</em>,” Kurapika said slowly, Hakim could only wheeze, agonized at Kurapika’s strong grip, “but you can <em>never </em>talk about my family.” They raised Kurapika since birth, some he wasn’t related to by blood, but the love between them mattered more than genetics alone.</p><p>“I’m—I’m sorry—” Hakim rasped. Kurapika tugged him up by the collar, digging a fist into his stomach. He cried out again. <em>“Fuck</em>—!”</p><p>“I’m a teacher and I’m proud of what I <em>do</em>, Mr. Nasir. They aren’t just kids. They are <em>my </em>kids. And I will fight for them, and do whatever it takes to make sure that they <em>learn </em>as much as they can before going out into the real world. I will make sure that they are loved properly, taught properly, grown properly, <em>even if it kills me</em>. Because that is my job.”</p><p>The genuine fear in Hakim’s eyes was— dare Kurapika say— pleasing to see. “Have a good night, Mr. Nasir.” Kurapika fixed the collar of his wrinkled up shirt and patted him down. He walked away from the gawking man and entered his home through the front porch, where his grandfather sat, having a smoke.</p><p>“I taught you well.” he commented, having witnessed the whole ordeal.</p><p>Kurapika sighed.</p><p>"All of these men don't know any better," Rekan leaned his head against the window. Kurapika stopped at the doorstep. "They just don't know you wouldn't give up your teaching career to be someone's prized possession."</p><p>"We must marry someone within the community to upkeep Kurtan tradition."</p><p>"But you don't want to."</p><p>Kurapika said nothing to that. He knew the Kurta family was unique in their own ways, for their beauty, their gift, their achievements that spanned decades long throughout history. He knew that his mother meant well, but he didn't want to give that away to someone who just wanted to elevate their own status and cared for nothing else. He'd trade anything to get out of a loveless marriage.</p><p>"You should tell her."</p><p>"I don't want to disappoint her."</p><p>"Then perhaps you don't mind telling me about that someone else you're keeping a secret from everyone." Rekan chuckled.</p><p>Kurapika's eyes widened.</p><p>His grandfather had a sharp eye. He always did.</p><p>"His name is Leorio." Kurapika murmured. "I met him through his son. He's my precious student."</p><p>"Do you like him?"</p><p>"Would you be disappointed if I told you?"</p><p>Rekan smiled, "I'm relieved, actually. You've grown so much. You're fending for yourself now, like a true grandchild of the Kurta family." Like the child of Zoran Kurta, his father, where he held his diligence, and his benignity from Ariya Kurta, his mother.</p><p>Kurapika entered his home feeling a little more relaxed after speaking with Rekan. Pairo texted him how it went after he told his mother that it went well— going straight to his room upstairs, he's been using <em>way</em> too much roaming data knowing fully well they've gone international and he wondered why Kurapika preferred Pairo just come over instead of relying on text messaging.</p><p>He pretended to ignore the frown on her face, because she knew that it was a lie.</p><p>"If there is someone else," she stopped Kurapika before he went to his room, "whenever you're ready. I'd like for you to tell me." she took her hand in his, squeezing gently. </p><p>"Mama..."</p><p>Ariya smiled.</p><p>He shut the door to his bedroom, undid the hairband to his bun and removed his flats, sitting down on his bed. He looked back at himself in the mirror, wearing the Kurtan robes his mother had sewn for him he hadn’t worn in a long time, feeling the fabric underneath his fingers.</p><p>So much time had passed.</p><p>He texted Pairo back.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [9:34 P.M]: </strong>You know, the usual.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“We go back to work in three days.” Pairo said, once they landed in Yorknew. Kurapika dragged his baggage behind him, feeling like a corpse. “That was nice, huh?”</p><p>“I can’t believe Nakia beat me at our chess tournament.”</p><p>“She did say she was polishing up her skills for when you come back.” The family liked to get a little festive with chess tournaments when they got together and Kurapika’s cousins proved to be worthy competitors. He took that title often when they were kids, the same way he’d beat Pairo at bringing all the chickens into the barn at their uncle’s farmhouse. But he supposed his skills were getting rubbish now that he’s gotten older.</p><p>“I’m hungry.” Pairo whined. "Oh!" he took out his phone, "We finally can use our phones more again." They couldn't when they were out of the country much, neither of them had that kind of money to handle data roaming charges, so Kurapika was out of touch with what his colleagues were doing for their Christmas break.</p><p>“We just ate food on the plane.” Kurapika laughed. Pairo's taking a selfie, fingers tapping away on his keyboard.</p><p>“I’m still hungry. That was a fifteen hour flight to and back, y'know?”</p><p>“Airplane food?”</p><p>“Ugh, no. Expensive. Wanna find Halal somewhere nearby?”</p><p>“Absolutely.”</p><p>Kurapika dropped his baggage in his apartment later that night with every muscle in his body aching for rest. His mother liked to send them home with gifts to keep around in case they got lonely, and unloading all the gifts he took with him to Lukso was a hassle. He made sure to keep the lovebook Leorio made for him on his desk slightly opened like one would at a book fair display, just so he could admire it sometimes.</p><p>“Hello, Yorknew,” Kurapika whispered wistfully at the lovebook, “I’m home.” he answered solemnly.</p><p>He remembered how the talk went with Hakim— while it plagued his mind a little less after he spent a lot of time with his close family and friends, helped out at the family restaurant with Pairo and even visited the community centers, the newly renovated buildings in the village that held the same air of nostalgia to it though appeared much different than it was before— it didn’t fade away completely.</p><p>He didn’t want to think his father was right that doing this meant throwing away false dreams he thought he had. He was happy with his life now. He had co-workers he’s grown fond of that he spent quality time with outside of work, followed Pairo’s advice and opened himself up. Every now and then, the homesickness of sitting by the lake after school, or petting the ostriches at the farm, ignoring their uncle’s screaming that they’d hurt themselves hit him. The smell of his mother’s cooking. His dad sitting outside the porch with their grandfather during the nights after their long days of working, having a smoke, talking, laughing. Cano’s knack of making jokes while he and Pairo hung out at the restaurant while Ashti wasn’t looking.</p><p>Toodles hopped in Kurapika’s lap, and he looked down at her— smiling fondly. His neighbor, Cynthia, lived next door; she was a sweet elderly lady that liked to dogsit when Kurapika was away, so her place was a second home to her.</p><p>“I’m home, my love,” Kurapika stroked her head. He looked at the lovebook.</p><p>He shouldn’t regret this one bit.</p><p>This was what his heart wanted.</p><p>If this weren’t the case, he wouldn’t be doing this at all. He wouldn’t even be in Yorknew, trying to start anew and leave behind the personal vendetta he held against his father’s constant scolding and expectations. He was a Kurta, no matter what, and as long as he was still breathing, as long as the blood ran through his veins, nothing changed that. Toodles yipped happily.</p><p>“Maybe you’re all that I need.” he hummed, lifting her to his face. She licked his nose. Kurapika chuckled. “Right, Toodles?”</p><p>She barked, as if to proudly answer his question.</p><p>“Did you get to play with Romeo a lot?”</p><p>Her enthusiasm told Kurapika all he needed to know. After all, she and Cynthia’s labradoodle were the best of friends.</p><p>Kurapika caught up on work emails he’s been ignoring since the first day of Christmas break.</p><p>Pairo sent him a couple text messages.</p><p><strong>Pairo [10:43 P.M]: </strong>omg. You wouldn’t guess who just followed me on IG.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [10:45 P.M]: </strong>????????</p><p><strong>Pairo [10:45 P.M]: </strong> <em>@L_Paladiknight.</em></p><p>Kurapika picked up his phone immediately and opened Instagram, typing up the username Pairo sent. His heart skipped a beat when a familiar face popped up in the search.</p><p>...But the account was private.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>Kurapika debated on whether he should follow. He left his desk to go make a cup of hot cocoa, which gave him enough time to contemplate over it just as he got back to work.</p><p>He tapped the follow button and quickly shut off his phone, opening a lesson powerpoint to distract himself.</p><p>His phone dinged. Kurapika never picked it up so fast.</p><p>
  <em><strong>L_Paladiknight </strong>started following you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em><strong>L_Paladiknight </strong>liked your photo.</em>
</p><p>Kurapika checked his profile.</p><p>This was a personal account.</p><p>
  <em>HU M.D graduate. ‘XX. 34. He/Him. Personal account. Full-time surgeon, full-time father. </em>
</p><p>The way Kurapika could tell this was a personal account was the lack of photos he expected to see of Leorio in bloody scrubs, but instead, him in fresh fits, with friends Kurapika’s seen a couple times doing things that someone with a public image to maintain wouldn’t post on a main account which their employer could see. Clubs. Parties. Bar-hopping. Getting into typical shenanigans when out with friends, a rowdier side of Leorio Kurapika hadn’t seen before, he’d be with Pietro, Knuckle, and Zepile, louder than ever in the highlights Kurapika watched through. Gym photos where he wore tight compression shirts that outlined the kind of muscles Kurapika would want tossing him around like a ragdoll. Photos and videos of him and Gon, going fishing, hiking, and travelling. Even TikToks. (Pairo texted him in all caps that he did something called a <em>Silhouette challenge </em>and Kurapika almost had an aneurysm viewing these videos.)</p><p>He completely missed that Leorio linked to his more <em>professional </em>account and that’s where Kurapika was greeted by <em>Dr. Paladiknight, M.D</em>. Previews to various YouTube videos for fellow surgeons and aspiring surgeons looking dip their foot in the world of healthcare, giving countless tips and even filming himself during some of his shifts, and some he had more conversational talks in his car with the viewer about the do’s and don’ts, offering solid advice on people that had any questions.</p><p>Having over fifty thousand subscribers is <em>quite</em> the fanbase Kurapika was surprised he heard nothing about prior to meeting Leorio. Then again, he wasn’t one to use social media often either— thinking that he would’ve found out Leorio’s job by a single Google search away was baffling even to him. He practically was everyone’s best friend, uncle, cousin, brother, father, all in one, this persona a little more firm but Kurapika could tell he enjoyed what he did enough to share it with others and help people having second thoughts about their own career choice, he even admitted that he had second thoughts.</p><p>So much was revealed about Leorio that Kurapika was finding out about now, that it was a little overwhelming. He got a peek into his personal life, his recent story he went on vacation with family out of the country and brought Gon along, seeing more family living there. He’s happy that Leorio wasn’t working during Christmas break, at least. He said that he barely had much vacation time to himself and he’d probably take Gon on a single vacation for the entirety of the year. He watched them jump off a rock into a cenote, Gon snorkeling with Leorio in the coral reefs and petting animals, taking shots with his brothers and Pietro, his sister screaming as she was paragliding.</p><p>Leorio lived a life that looked more promising than anyone Kurapika was ever interested in. But Kurapika couldn’t remember the last time he was genuinely interested in anyone.</p><p>The man was rich. He had a big family he seemed to be close with, he had good friends whom he appreciated despite their relationship consisting of throwing around insults and rough housing, he had a son who was his whole world and more. A job he had dedication to. All of that— the rich part was just a bonus, shut up— ticked off the things Kurapika wanted, ideally, in anyone. Looks didn’t matter. Money didn’t matter. (He’s not lying to himself when he said that, even though Pairo claimed he was.) He just wasn’t looking hard enough.</p><p>Why should Kurapika turn that down? He knew that Ariya would <em>faint </em>knowing that he'd managed to catch the interest of a wealthy man just because he had a son that Kurapika taught. If that wasn’t the very thing that made them cautious in treading over eggshells, very haphazardly, he’d be in that man’s bed yesterday.</p><p>Except they communicate strictly to keep tabs on Gon’s performance in school and that’s all that Kurapika was allowing himself to get. He can ogle from a distance of Leorio taking a video of himself in nearly complete darkness save for suggestive red lighting for the sake of a fucking internet challenge half his co-workers have done already (and forced him to do.) But he <em>can’t </em>be selfish.</p><p>Kurapika shut his phone off again.</p><p>He sighed heavily.</p><p>Back to work.</p><p>His phone dinged approximately ten minutes later. Pairo sent a link to another website that sold adult toys with a wink face.</p><p><em>You’re welcome. </em>He said.</p><p><em>You’re insane. </em>Kurapika texted back. He opened the link anyway in the midst of heated, sexual frustration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Toodles hopped on Kurapika’s bed, barking at him to wake up.</p><p>Those three days back in Yorknew flew by so fast the new year arrived and Kurapika failed to register that he had work this morning.</p><p>He put his phone on DND so he didn’t break his phone from the constant vibrations from all the calls and texts that his co-workers sent, so he didn’t realize when he woke up and checked his phone to see the missed calls and texts from Pairo, Melody, and Machi, that something was horribly wrong.</p><p>It was seven fifteen.</p><p>They had a faculty meeting that started fifteen minutes ago he was supposed to be attending and he slept in completely.</p><p>He also didn’t set an alarm last night, either.</p><p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p><p>Kurapika jumped out of bed. “I’m late!” he shouted at Toodles, “is this why you woke me up?!”</p><p>Toodles’ barking told him that <em>it was the exact reason </em>why she woke him up. She probably knew what time he left every morning before Cynthia picked her up to watch over her while he was at work, and he even missed Cynthia’s text that she’d be on her way once she finished getting groceries.</p><p>He rushed into the shower and left in record time, racing down the block for the bus stop and panting like a madman.</p><p>“For fuck’s sake, Kurapika,” he whispered to himself. <em>Waking up late, </em>on the first day back to work? <em>Really? </em>He was better than this. He never slacked off. Maybe it was the steamy dream he had that kept him asleep as punishment for browsing through Leorio’s instagram and YouTube until four in the morning.</p><p>Like God wanted to spite him, he heard faint thunder, his gaze flickered up at the graying clouds in the sky. Kurapika had no choice but to run even <em>faster </em>because he left the house without his umbrella, messenger bag thrown over his shoulder. This was the worst day to wear heels, and he’s running in forty five degree weather and drizzling rain started pouring down on his head.</p><p>A car pulled up next to him, but Kurapika didn’t notice it when it started aggressively beeping. He turned and slowed his running.</p><p>"What?!" Kurapika barked at the driver, "I'm not even fucking <em>driving</em> so <em>fuck off you twat!</em>"</p><p>"Whoa there gorgeous! I'm not honkin' the fucking car 'cause you're in my way!" That black Mercedes he recognized instantly. The window rolled down, revealing just Leorio in the car. He leaned his head forward, another hand braced on the steering wheel.</p><p>“Mr. Leorio?!” Kurapika said, his voice hoarse.</p><p>"Yeah! It's me!"</p><p>"<em>Why </em>are you honking at me?!"</p><p>"I'm just honkin' my car 'cause it's a shitload 'a fun!" Leorio shouted sarcastically, "No! I'm honking to get your damn attention!"</p><p>"Oh." Kurapika's cheeks reddened, embarrassed. "My apologies."</p><p>“I just dropped Gon off!” Leorio explained, “where you comin’ from?”</p><p>“My house.” Kurapika pointed a few blocks down, which he sprinted past in under ten minutes. “I live around here.”</p><p>“I forgot you lived in this area. You on your way to school?”</p><p>Kurapika could only nod.</p><p>“I was just passin’ through this route ‘cause I’m on my way to work.” Leorio looked behind him, then back at Kurapika, “where’s your umbrella?”</p><p>“Listen, I’m in a hurry.” Kurapika said, “I’m just on my way to the bus stop. I’m late for a meeting and I’m pretty sure I’ll only have five minutes left of it by the time I get to the train station.”</p><p>“You don’t got a car?”</p><p>“I… I don’t.”</p><p>“Jesus, get inside then.” Leorio cocked his head, “you’re gonna miss the meeting if you take the bus and the train there. You know how long the wait can be. Believe me. I sometimes take the bus to the hospital and I’d be waitin’ like half an hour sometimes.”</p><p>“I can run.” Kurapika said dumbly, not wanting to put Leorio through the hassle of driving him. He looked at his watch, “next bus comes in a minute.”</p><p>“You’re wearing heels.” Leorio answered, “the <em>fuck </em>you mean you can <em>run</em>? Unless you’ve got the same speed as <em>Sonic</em>, get your ass in this car!”</p><p>“You’re sincerely underestimating the power of my abilities.” Kurapika said, a little offended. “Wouldn’t <em>you </em>also be late?”</p><p>“I got a chill supervisor and people who can cover for me.” Leorio replied, “I can drop you there and leave. There’s no way you’re gonna make it to your meeting this rate.”</p><p>He’s right. Just about barely, once the bus took him to the train station depending on the time of the train would arrive another minute ticked away that he’d miss off the meeting.</p><p>“Mr. Paladiknight,” But also— Kurapika knew how to be incredibly persistent, “—I think I’ll be fine with calling a rideshare.”</p><p>“I think you need a ride.” Leorio said.</p><p>It started raining harder.</p><p>Kurapika gave in.</p><p>Leorio dropped him off in ten minutes, less traffic, just a couple impatient shitheads that had somewhere to be and didn’t bother to wait for anyone and simply cut them off.</p><p>“Here.” Leorio handed him an umbrella. Kurapika stared at it, dumbfounded. “You’ll probably need it on your way inside.”</p><p>“I-Isn’t… isn’t this yours?”</p><p>“I can just grab an umbrella at the hospital. Take it.”</p><p>“Mr. Leorio, I—”</p><p>Leorio took Kurapika’s hand and placed the umbrella on it. He reached forward to unlock the door, and his face was inches away from Kurapika’s profile— the old spice radiating off his body— Kurapika frozen in his seat.</p><p>“I’ll come with you.” He offered. He’s already taking off Kurapika’s seatbelt for him. “Wait here.” Leorio murmured. The door closed on Kurapika’s end and he sat there in silence, Leorio rushed around the front of his car.</p><p>“Okay! Open the umbrella!” he exclaimed over the heavy rain.</p><p>“Are you absurd?!” Kurapika blanched, “you’re getting yourself all wet!”</p><p>Leorio took his blazer off and held it over his head, fixing his glasses, leaving him in his damp white button-down and dress pants. “I’d rather be the one who’s drenched than the person who needs to get to their meeting in one piece.”</p><p>
  <em>This man.</em>
</p><p>“Leorio…” Kurapika never asked for any of this. Leorio just did it out of the good of his heart. He was insane. He quickly opened the umbrella, Leorio stepped back a little to allow Kurapika to carefully exit the car and Leorio had to duck his head so that he could shut the door behind Kurapika.</p><p>They were so <em>close </em>the warmth emanating off Leorio’s body made Kurapika shiver. Leorio’s using his blazer to protect his head while he stood beside Kurapika, a hand on the small of his back.</p><p>“You okay?” he asked. “The umbrella’s good?”</p><p>Kurapika nodded sagely.</p><p>“Awesome.” Leorio urged him to hurry up the steps into the school’s building, the front doors were closed because it wasn’t time for first period yet and the bell hadn’t rung. So they still had time. He was careful when he guided Kurapika up the steps, Kurapika instinctively held onto the back of his shirt and tugged when he stumbled over his feet, shuffling closer to Leorio.</p><p>“We good?” he asked, Leorio stopped the moment he felt Kurapika struggling to keep up. He slowed down, making sure he matched Kurapika’s pace.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Ready?”</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>Leorio opened the door by the handle. Kurapika closed the umbrella, dipping inside. Leorio remained outside the door.</p><p>“Take your umbrella back.” Kurapika insisted. “I’ll be fine here on out.”</p><p>“It’s gonna rain all day.” Leorio answered, “don’t you check the weather?”</p><p>“I didn’t have time to!”</p><p>“Well I ain’t takin’ it back!”</p><p>“Don’t be stupid! You can get sick if you wander outside like that!”</p><p>“My immune system’s pretty strong. Always been that way with my family!”</p><p>“You’re insane!”</p><p>“Keep it, Sunshine.” Leorio winked, “if you’re lucky enough, you won’t need it.” He tossed the blazer over his head, much like the way Tuxedo Mask did in Sailor Moon, except he actually <em>did </em>something. Admittedly, it was a little cool. <em>Just </em>a little. All the kids at the playground probably had to round up inside and wait in the auditorium that’s now been opened back up again to get rid of the rats from before Christmas break.</p><p>Kurapika noticed all the lights were turned off in the staff room. He cursed under his breath, shoving Leorio’s umbrella in his bag. They were in the middle of a presentation. He dropped to his knees like he was in a spy movie, creeping up where everyone couldn’t see him to the empty seat in the room between Melody and Pairo. Cheadle pointed a ruler at the slide on screen, Kurapika lifting himself into the seat quickly and pretending he’d been in the meeting since the beginning.</p><p>“Any questions?” Cheadle asked. It looked like she didn’t notice.</p><p>Pariston happily raised his hand, "I do—"</p><p><em>"NO!" </em>Cheadle's enraged response made some of them jump back.</p><p>"Aw." Pariston sighed.</p><p>"Anyone else?" Cheadle asked again calmly.</p><p>No one had said anything.</p><p>“Glad of you to join us, Kurapika.” Netero smiled, waving. Everyone looked at him. Kurapika wanted to sink under the table and into the floor, cheeks flushed red. “You’re a little later than usual, but that’s okay! The weather’s bad out there today and I commend you for being able to make it.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, sir…” Kurapika ducked his head. “The trains were slow.”</p><p>“Hey Pika.” Pairo whispered once the meeting continued.</p><p>“Trust me,” Phinks murmured, “I tried it. He knows when you’re late, even if you try to sneak in when it’s dark. The dude’s got eyes everywhere.”</p><p>“A prime example of someone who actually has eyes at the back of their head.” Machi joked. “I admit, it’s kinda funny to see you try to sneak in here. You never do that.”</p><p>“You haven’t answered your phone.” Pairo said. “You woke up late didn’t you?”</p><p>“...I did.” Kurapika admitted shamefully.</p><p>“And you put your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’.”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t give a response to that, guilty.</p><p>“Great, so now that we have full attendance,” Cheadle began, “I’d like to talk about our play we can finally start producing now that the auditorium is officially back open as of yesterday.”</p><p><em>“Kill me.</em>” Feitan mumbled staidly.</p><p>“Don’t be such a killjoy.” Shalnark pouted, “plays are fun!”</p><p>“In what fucking <em>world </em>do you live in?”</p><p>The head staff proceeded to explain that <em>Chimera Ant </em>was the play that they had been working on since last year, it just needed to go through a bit of reviewing before they could officially release any details. The elementary teachers of Yorknew would be coming together for approximately six weeks straight for a few class periods with their students to start rehearsing for the play.</p><p>Every year Yorknew hosted a play as some sort of new year welcoming for parents looking to be impressed on a school night. It’s just as unnerving as classroom observation week, and it was mandatory. Some of them thought it was the <em>worst</em>, and some of them thought the opposite. For Kurapika, this was his time to shine.</p><p>They were starting today, and Pariston filled them in on the details. He wanted to them to discuss among themselves on establishing a team of who can take on which responsibilities, designers, directors, playwright, composers, choreographers, a tech crew, as they weren’t treating this like an amateur play where students stood on a stage and read off a boring script until it was time for their final performance. Cheadle and Bisky being anointed the main stage directors. He preferred that they go <em>all out </em>with it. He wanted a proper stage crew behind the scenes and as many students as possible involved to create plays that their audience wouldn’t ever forget.</p><p>Safe to say, anyone who wasn’t a theatre kid hated this part of the school year. Cheadle and Bisky entrusted people who had <em>experience </em>in theatre involvement and unfortunately that meant Kurapika had to hear the ideas of a particular film major that absolutely no one asked for. Melody, with her experience as a musician, Kurapika who had been involved in plays back in high school theatre in their small rural town, Pairo, by proxy, was <em>also </em>involved in said plays but he didn’t take it nearly as seriously. Pariston directed numerous plays under his belt that were well-acclaimed and he had connections to people who could help produce and direct the play, as only a handful of the staff members made up the team of educators who would be interacting directly with the performers. In this case, the students.</p><p>It’s a win-lose situation between the teachers and the students, because the kids get to spend half the day outside of class getting dragged around the auditorium and being told what to do for about three hours per day but it was the teachers who still had jobs they had to do. Cheadle and Bisky slowly regretted leaving the opportunities for discussion among the teachers because Kurapika and Chrollo ended up butting heads on set-design ideas while the rest of them had <em>different </em>ideas all together. Cheadle had assigned Feitan and Vellan, another teacher, to work on managing the set and film direction because yes, Pariston wanted this to be filmed like this were a broadway production. Neither of them wanted to be paired with Chrollo but Bisky said if they end up clashing over the assigned teams on the play production then they’d get nothing done— so she told them all to shut up and work something the <em>fuck </em>out because a hundred students were involved in this play and they had an entire casting list to work through and a script to get cracking on.</p><p>The play was taking place outdoors in a forest where a castle was hidden deep inside and they needed to follow that theme, no objections given.</p><p>Melody offered to handle all of the music composition and the school’s band would be involved in the production. Kite said he’d help out with costume and makeup design. They’d be assisted by a team of experts and TAs that can handle that task while the script was in progress. The biggest challenge being the casting.</p><p><em>Chimera Ant </em>was about a group of young travelers that maintained special powers of their own— Axil and Skeltos lead these human travelers, and they would be the main protagonists that work through their conflicting ideologies to work together throughout the story. The group encounters the territory of a group of mythical beings known as <em>ants</em> after finding out one of their own had been taken hostage. It sparks a war between the ants and the travelers, and along the way they begin to realize that they aren’t different from the ants at all and they’re very much similar to one another, working through their differences to band together and release the friend of the humans and make peace with one another instead of endless fighting.</p><p>They needed a king and a queen, the queen, Zaria, being the human taken hostage and the ants collectively deciding that she’d rule alongside the king, Rorik, and be their queen. The story became tragic when she realized that this meant she had to turn against her own friends and try to convince the king to spare them. Similar to the story of Scheherezade, it’s the persuasion of turning the evil toward the path of good— and after much debate, they settled on someone from Kurapika’s class, as some of the students from each class of the grades involved in the play would be divided between ants and humans. Among them there has to be a king and a queen. Axil and Skeltos were Killua and Gon respectively, two close friends banding together with powerful warriors with the same magical abilities to fight evil and save the day. Kurapika’s class voted that Komugi be Zaria and the role of king Rorik would go to Meruem, sparking a bit of confusion.</p><p>“I thought there were thirty students in your class.” Pairo said.</p><p>“It’s… it’s complicated.” Kurapika answered.</p><p>“Well I never heard of a Meruem.”</p><p>“That’s because there isn’t one, in theory,” Kurapika proceeded to explain, “somehow my class befriended an imaginary friend and get upset if I don’t include him in class activities and attendance, it’s been that way since the fourth week of school.”</p><p>Pairo didn’t seem very convinced, “Pika, Bisky said she needs an actual <em>Rorik</em>, y’know, one we can <em>see</em>. How’s she gonna perform her lines when there’s no Rorik?!”</p><p>“We can work something out. We have a Zaria. We have a cast for travelers and the ants already.” Kurapika answered, “just— please don’t re-cast. We’ve worked through everything else. I said they’d be perfect for the role for a reason.” <em>This</em> was the only problem.</p><p>Bisky wasn’t pleased to hear that they found someone to cast as the Ant King Rorik except he wasn’t someone they could see visibly.</p><p>“Is this some kind of fucking <em>joke</em>?” she asked, “we didn’t work our ass off on this play just to cast a non-existent king!”</p><p>“How about this?” Pairo quickly eased her temper, “maybe the king isn’t someone that we <em>have </em>to see, necessarily. Maybe Rorik doesn’t show up until the very end or something, and everyone else in the king’s army speaks for him because he’s waiting in the shadows! It leaves a little more suspense as to who it could be. The king has to be protected by all costs and have no one get close to him for his safety.”</p><p>“This implies we’d have to alter the script.” Bisky responded. “The script that Pariston took <em>seven months </em>in advance to perfect? In preparation for this very play.”</p><p>“I can do everything I can to rework everything so that it makes the king’s appearance in the play less significant.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Why can’t we just re-cast the king?” Bisky asked. “The casting call was your idea and I trusted that you’d come up with something <em>sufficient</em>, why is our Rorik an imaginary being?”</p><p>“Trust me. I think Komugi and Meruem would make the perfect Rorik and Zaria. It’s the perfect love story of all time, think about it, it’s just like your novels.”</p><p>Bisky squinted, “how… did you know about my novels?”</p><p>“I thought you mentioned it once?” Kurapika lied, hoping she’d fall for it. “They’re fantastic, by the way.”</p><p>“Huh.” Bisky, tongue clicking against her cheek, waved the script in the air in defeat. “<em>Don’t make me regret my decision.” </em>she told the both of them, storming up to the set designers, “Too high!” she shouted, “we’re not paying you money to make the set look fucking<em> hideous!</em>”</p><p>“What can I do without you?” Kurapika asked Pairo, relieved.</p><p>“You do realize you’re giving the lead role to someone who <em>none of us </em>have seen. Like, once, right?”</p><p>“...Do you remember the ghost of your dead grandma we saw when we were eight?” It didn’t feel that way, surely. For some odd reason. The more Kurapika taught in the class it’s like he’s grown used to Meruem’s <em>presence</em>— like he was seated at Komugi’s table next to her and participating with the rest of the class.</p><p>“Is he a ghost?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“Well I don’t know exactly. It’s just a hunch.”</p><p>His class started claiming that they could <em>see </em>him, that’s where things got a little more strange. Everyone wrote it off as kids making up delusions all the time and that it wasn’t anything serious, but the way Komugi wouldn’t do anything without Meruem and often spoke for him because she claimed he was <em>shy</em>, and that he’d only show himself if people were kind enough to him. Kurapika still hadn’t seen the boy and he was curious if this really was an imaginary friend because Komugi only referred to him as her friend, his name, and nothing else.</p><p>“Hey. If you claim you can make this work, better come up with something.” Pairo playfully whacked him on the head with a rolled up script. “I gotta go back to my class.”</p><p>It didn’t matter or not whether they had a damn king because they needed to get the production underway. Each act and the scenes it contained were organized and every morning they’d pile into the auditorium for rehearsals after warm-up exercises, e-mails sent out to the parents that it’d be advised that all play participants prepare to arrive early and sometimes, not all, leave late due to practice. When they had morning rehearsals, they only had a brief lunch period and spent the rest of the day in their classrooms to wind down, use the bathroom, and work on assignments until dismissal.</p><p>Kurapika wasn’t happy to find out that they bet on when he’d start going <em>Angry Pika </em>on everyone when they’d start slacking off. He had to remind them he was <em>assisting </em>the directing and managing students in their starring roles, but he easily got carried away because the first week was a fucking hot <em>mess</em>. Not everyone has happy with their casting roles. Not everyone was a skilled actor, not when they were between the ages of six and twelve. Not even just with the performance, but the set was falling apart and things had to keep being rearranged. Kurapika demanded that they fix it properly or else it’s going to interfere with rehearsals. The tech crew fumbled with their set-up and one time a light had crashed right on the stage during practice.</p><p>Cheadle basically said that Kurapika could reign as much as he wanted to on this play but if Bisky got pissed off then she’d pin the blame on his poor directing skills.</p><p>As for the students, they were losing their scripts, complaining of needing to pee, some showing disinterest, doing their own thing, avoiding as much work as possible, memorizing their lines horribly, there were far too many takes to count. Killua, as one of the humans, would refuse to be present when they needed him and he’d be off somewhere eating snacks instead of rehearsing with the kids and Kurapika had to find him. Between transitions, there were songs personally composed by Melody they’d have to sing every few scenes and according to Pariston, there was <em>a lot </em>of material they needed to go over these six weeks, so they had to prepare to get as little rest as possible.</p><p>The backstage drama that piled up over this fucking disaster of a play had enough to entertain a town of five-hundred.</p><p>If another kid ran up to Kurapika and told him that they needed to pee or someone had hit them he was going to riot. Komugi started crying during rehearsal one afternoon, adding on to the list of complications they’ve been experiencing and the first week hadn’t even been over yet.</p><p>“I can’t find him!” she whined.</p><p>Kurapika made the cutting motion to everyone else, beckoning for them to keep going and rounding up his class. “Find who?” he asked.</p><p>“She said Meruem ran off.” Pokkle said.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“He got scared.” Gon answered. “Too many people.”</p><p>“Peeks.” Machi called, “we’ve gotta start practicing the first battle scene.”</p><p>“Go on without me.” Kurapika said, and he turned to Komugi. “Where did he go?” he asked.</p><p>“He left through there.” Komugi sniffled, pointing at the exit door beneath the stage. “What if he gets hurt all by himself?”</p><p>Kurapika had an idea. “Everyone, come with me. We’ll go find our king.” he said, leading the class through the exit door.</p><p>“Where’re you going?!” Pairo asked, catching up to Kurapika. “We’re not supposed to practice outside unless Bisky gives the orders.”</p><p>“One of my students went missing.”</p><p>“What?!”</p><p>“We should find him before he gets lost!” Gon said. Kurapika opened the exit door, and they left the building for the school’s playground. All of them were calling Meruem’s name, but no sign of him anywhere.</p><p>“Komugi,” Kurapika asked, “where do you think he’d run off too?”</p><p>“Probably the park…” Komugi said, wiping her nose. “He likes to sit by the pond whenever my parents and I go together every weekend.”</p><p>Kurapika couldn’t believe he’s doing this. They’re probably still practicing now, but he didn’t want to keep them waiting too long. The park was a ten minute walk from the school but if they ran fast enough…</p><p>“Stick by me.” he told them. He led them through the front gates and down the block for the local park about three blocks away.</p><p>They made it there in under five minutes.</p><p>“Does anyone see him?”</p><p>“I found him!” It’s not Gon or Killua that spotted him— but Abdul, one of the other kids in the class that pointed toward the creek.</p><p>“Meruem!” Komugi gasped, rushing over. They followed Komugi in a hot pursuit, stopping at the edge of the creek. “There you are! Why’d you run off?”</p><p>Kurapika’s phone went off in his pocket. Pairo’s asking him where they went and if they found him yet. He texted back that they did, and that there was no need to stop the rehearsals.</p><p><em>Come bck soon or Bisky’s gonna kill all of us. </em>He said.</p><p>They were all looking at him when Kurapika put his phone away.</p><p>They were expecting Kurapika to talk to him.</p><p>“C’mon, Meruem, don’t be shy.” Komugi swayed. “You made Mr. Kurta and everyone really really worried because you ran off.”</p><p>“You did.” Kurapika crouched down to everyone’s level. He still couldn’t see the boy, still, he felt a presence— a lingering presence that grew stronger with each second that passed. “Meruem, I understand that plays are <em>extremely </em>terrifying. To have to perform on stage in front of hundreds of people.” he’s been there, <em>of course </em>he knew the anxiety that came with stage-fright and the fear that everyone was mocking your every move behind your back. “But you need to remember that you aren’t doing this alone. All of your classmates are right beside you, doing the same exact thing you’re doing. So instead of running away, think of the spotlight as you performing like you would alone. Pretend that no one is there but you. How’s that sound?”</p><p>From the looks on the others’ faces, he figured he said the right thing. “Is he ready to come back now?” he asked Komugi.</p><p>She wiped away any stray tears, nodding. “Yes!”</p><p>Kurapika sighed in relief.</p><p>The lengths he went for these children scared him dearly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Pika,” Pairo said on the fifth day of rehearsals, “I think you need to relax.”</p><p>“We had to do thirty takes,” Kurapika said, “<em>of the same scene</em>, only because Gon keeps forgetting one single line.”</p><p>“You’ve been going Angry Pika like, all week. At this point, we’re all too scared to say anything without getting our faces ripped off.” Pairo told him, “you’re just as snappy as Bisky, and that says something.”</p><p>“At least you don’t have to work with <em>him</em>.” Feitan arrogantly referred to Chrollo. “Vellan and I tried to get Bisky to take us off tech crew and she refused.”</p><p>“Well everyone can’t work in one field at once.” Pakunoda said, “Apparently this is some broadway level shit.”</p><p>“Didn’t Pariston used to be a famous playwright before he got a job here?” Shizuku asked.</p><p>“He wrote some Shakespearian gay shit and it won a bunch ‘a awards.” Phinks said, reading another magazine.</p><p>“<em>Really?</em>” Shalnark asked.</p><p>“You didn’t know this was his play we’re producing?” Melody asked, brows raised. "Well it's definitely a kid-friendly rendition of the original, hence why things are much more simplex and toned down. It was supposed to be a mythical version of Romeo and Juliet, except Zaria and Rorik don't die together in the end and she saves everyone by convincing Rorik to spare everyone."</p><p>“You're fucking kidding me, I was today year's old when I found out our vice principal's making us do a critically-acclaimed play.” Nobunaga said.</p><p>“I read some of his works. Amazing prose. He knows how to make a good rendition out of concepts that have been done.” Basho said, “he ain’t bad. I’ve written a few pieces of my own and I know a good writer when I see one.”</p><p>“Maybe if I lie and say I have mono I don’t have to work on this bullshit.” Feitan grimaced.</p><p>“Can’t.” Franklin snorted, “mandatory.”</p><p>“Kill me with a rock.”</p><p>“Is the first week over yet?” Machi asked tiredly. <em>Nope</em>, everyone replied. She slumped her head against Pakunoda’s shoulder.</p><p>Shalnark had one of the school laptops open to check a few e-mails, just as everyone else had a bite from food they bought or from the cafeteria. He gasped loudly. "Oh my god!" he said, "<em>Bargain With The Devil </em>just updated."</p><p>"Shut the fuck up." Phinks gawked.</p><p>"No, just now! Chapter fifteen is out!"</p><p>Everyone left their chairs to huddle around Shalnark's laptop.</p><p>"I swear to God if Reina chose LeRoy after Asher just gave her the best sex of her life." Pakunoda vexed.</p><p>"What is happening?" Kurapika asked, munching on an apple slice.</p><p>"Bitch, Bisky's fanfic just updated!" Pairo shrieked. </p><p>"You guys have been<em> reading</em> this?"</p><p>"<em>Obviously</em>." Machi snorted. "We been waiting like two weeks since the last update." Ever since someone put a link to Bisky's username to a fanfic website in the complaint box Shalnark went and searched it up, then found an array of published erotica of many different genres put out there for everyone to read, and they talked about this like it were a drama series on TV. Kurapika curiously leaned in.</p><p>"But I knew that you slept with him!" Pairo dramatically read the first paragraph, "<em>you said his name </em>when we were together."</p><p>"Oh-ho shit. You fucked up, girlie." Pakunoda laughed.</p><p>Morel knocked on the side of the door. "Everybody doin' okay in here?" he asked, noticing the way they were strangely reading something off Shalnark's laptop. "The Hell are you guys doin'?" he looked like he regretted asking that question. "Do I even wanna know?"</p><p>"We're reading hot sexy fanfiction." Shalnark said anyway.</p><p>Morel nodded slowly. "Well carry on." he only came in to grab something he left in here and then he left the room. They snickered among themselves and continued the read-aloud.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Day three of rehearsals arrived.</p><p>Two cups of coffee, a bagel with cream cheese, and barreling into the auditorium to help round up the cast for warm-ups only made Kurapika somehow<em> more </em>irritated. He called Chrollo a<em> stupid</em> <em>cunt</em> in front of Cheadle and she suggested that everyone take a five-minute break to review where they’ve reached in the script so far and what they need to work on. The orchestra’s having their own practice after-school hours and as for the choreographed scenes they needed to spend an extra hour after dismissal to perfect them.</p><p>“Bisky’s relying on me to assist the directing in this play,” Kurapika said, “and everyone’s acting like this is a day at the beach. Pariston said we had a lot of material to cover and simply told us <em>good luck</em>.”</p><p>“It <em>is </em>only the first week.” Pairo consoled, “...if it makes you feel any better, all of us are pretty much dragging our corpses around.”</p><p>“How’s the script renditions?”</p><p>“Basho’s giving King Rorik minimal lines since Bisky says there basically <em>is </em>no king if he doesn’t exist.”</p><p>“That’s fine. Costumes?”</p><p>“Kite’s worked through most of them. They’re gorgeous, by the way. I can’t wait to see the costumes he has for the king and queen.”</p><p>“I can trust that Melody’s getting the composition set in stone and that twat Chrollo’s leading the tech crew.” He felt bad for Feitan and the rest of the team but they couldn’t do anything now that the job positions were already assigned to the teachers.</p><p>“You’re<em> way </em>too passionate about this for a play that’s about humans and killer mystical creatures playing<em> I declare thumb-war </em>with each other.” Pairo placed both his hands on Kurapika’s shoulders, “Come have a drink with us after work! And don’t you dare say that you have to work on the damn play. Leave that for next week. Do you know LP’s been stopping by during dismissal to watch us practice?”</p><p>Kurapika blinked. He’d been so busy wearing his voice out giving directions he forgot that the parents were advised to pick up their kids in the auditorium during dismissal. Once the word was given they could leave they’d pack up their bags and bolt out the auditorium, relieved to get away from a day of nonstop rehearsal. He’d just dismissed Gon from the stage because the teachers had to gather and talk about plans regarding their progress and spent time after the students had been dismissed doing so.</p><p>Normally, they’d talk about the play and pitch suggestions on things they could improve— but the other day Shalnark told everyone <em>Bargain With The Devil </em>updated <em>again </em>and it hadn't even been a full week yet, and they spent the whole two hours reading and losing their shit. At that point, Kurapika gave up trying to get their attention and gave in when they gathered around Shalnark’s laptop. He told Pairo to send him a link so he could catch up, because apparently he was the only one who <em>wasn’t </em>caught up. Even Melody was.</p><p>This must mean Leorio probably saw<em> everything</em>. The songs they had to sing before a transition, songs which Kurapika sang <em>with </em>them, guiding them through their choreographed scenes with animated movements, his harsh way of directing, the banter among the staff members as they were slowly losing their sanity tying up loose ends to the last-minute change made to the play simply to accommodate the cast list and keep one of Kurapika’s students happy.</p><p>Leorio was the last person he wanted to reveal his inner obnoxious theatre kid to.</p><p>“Oh my God.” Kurapika slumped his head against the table, “...no he didn’t.”</p><p>“Yeah huh.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“People come to sit in the back and watch all the time." Pairo reasoned. “No big deal!”</p><p>“It is a big deal if <em>LP </em>is watching <em>me </em>make a fool out of myself helping direct and choreograph a play that’s turning into pretty much a cesspool.” They had to turn on a wind machine today for a scene during the travelers’ trek through the forest, and it caused one of the props to fly off and hit a kid in the face. Nobunaga and Uvogin scrambled to turn it off and they had to reposition it.</p><p>“Give it time!” Pairo encouraged, he needed his glasses to read over the script, and Kurapika fought the urge to remind him if he took his eye drops before work, “look, we have six weeks. The humans team up with some of the ants to take the Ant Queen back but the Ant Queen doesn’t want to disappoint the Ant King, they make a peace treaty, big showdown, one last song, and then voila. We’ve gotten through all the acts of the play.”</p><p>“We’re still going through bit by bit, though. And it’s at a snail’s pace!”</p><p>“Remember when we took acting junior year? How you exploded the week before the show and got so burnt out that you couldn’t rehearse anymore? You’re exploding. Take it down a notch. So, come relax with us.” Pairo tried again, “trust me we’ve been hoping for this week to end so we can celebrate.”</p><p>He already felt himself getting burnt out.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“One week down, five more to go!” Phinks proposed a toast.</p><p>“I can’t do this shit anymore.” Nobunaga said. “Why the fuck did Netero make us do a play right after Christmas break?”</p><p>“Rehearsals back to back for a week is killing <em>my </em>back.” Pakunoda leaned back against the counter.</p><p>“Hang in there,” Melody laughed, “we’ll be done before you know it.”</p><p>“It’s taking forever.” Machi muttered, “Bisky breathing down our necks isn’t helping.”</p><p>They’re laughing through their shit-talking they’ve been holding in all day, which helped Kurapika relax.</p><p>Leorio sent him a photo of him, Gon, and Killua with ice cream in their hands. It looked like they were in an ice cream parlor.</p><p><strong>LP [8:23 P.M]: </strong>they wouldn’t stop bugging me until they got what they wanted, so, here we r. Send pic?</p><p>Since this was a thing between them, where they’d send photos periodically back and forth giving a status update on how their day was going— he took a group selfie at the bar they were at. Everyone stuck their heads into the phone camera’s view the best they could and Pairo was the closest to Kurapika, cheesing brightly.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [8:23 P.M]: </strong>[img]</p><p><strong>Kurapika [8:23 P.M]: </strong>We’re celebrating the ending of the first week of rehearsals.</p><p><strong>LP [8:23 P.M]: </strong>congrats!!! That’s awesome! ❤️</p><p>A single text message shouldn’t make Kurapika smile like a teenager with a big fat crush the majority of the night.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika was dismissing everyone when he saw that Ging guy again waltz in munching on an apple. He smelt like pure weed and strong cologne. </p><p>"Hello?" Kurapika asked, because he just stood there next to him chewing without saying a word to him. "Are you lost, sir?"</p><p>"Hey Mr. Kubrick."</p><p>"It's Mr. Kurta. Or Mx. Kurta, Mr. Freecs."</p><p>"Oh shit, my bad." Ging pointed at the classroom. "Gon in there?"</p><p>"...Yes, he's tying up his shoe. I thought Miss Freecs would be here today."</p><p>"She gotta doctor's appointment."</p><p>"Uncle Ging!" Gon spotted him and rushed out of the classroom. </p><p>"Hey kid!"</p><p>They fist-bumped each other. </p><p>"Um." Kurapika looked between the two and he wondered if there was anything he'd missed. Bisky said this man only found out Gon went to school here like, a few weeks ago. "Are you picking him up?"</p><p>"We're gonna go to Walmart then try out food samples at IKEA." Ging said.</p><p>"Can we go to GameStop? There's this game I wanna get. My dad doesn't have time to get it for me."</p><p>"Hell yeah we will. Where's your little boyfriend? He kicked my ass at Mario Kart and I wanna get payback." <em>He already knew about Killua? </em></p><p>"He's waiting for his sisters at the auditorium! Can he hang out with us?!"</p><p>"Where's the auditorium again?"</p><p>Gon pointed down the hall.</p><p>"Go. I'll meet you kiddos there."</p><p>"Kay."</p><p>"Gon." Kurapika stopped him when Gon rushed to the auditorium. "Your dad's not coming today?"</p><p>"It's the week where Uncle Ging and Aunt Mito take care of me!" Gon said, and then he ran off.</p><p>Pariston was speaking with people when he passed by them and Kurapika nodded at him respectively. Ging made a kissing noise Pariston's direction. The vice principal looked disgusted.</p><p>He gasped and smacked Ging across the face, then sauntered away.</p><p>"Call me!" Ging yelled after him. Pariston didn't look back once.</p><p>"What did I just witness?" Kurapika asked no one in particular.</p><p>"Bye Mr. Kumquat." Ging nodded at him.</p><p>"Bye Mr. French fry." Kurapika smiled, butchering his last name equally as the other man did.</p><p>"I like you." Ging laughed, turning around and walking off to follow where his nephew went. Someone took a whiff of his weed-scent and stared at him, their face morphed into disgust. Kurapika sighed heavily.</p><p>That man was very<em> strange.</em> What Kurapika didn't pick up on was when Gon said <em>the week when Uncle Ging and Mito take care of him. </em></p><p>This sounded more like a court order Kurapika didn't know about.</p><p>Poor thing.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Week two began.</p><p>Arguably the hardest part of this job was being a core part of school events and handling a class of children who had no sense of discipline, direction, or decency whatsoever.</p><p>“Where’s Zaria?!” Killua asked. “We know that you took her. Her trails led us here.”</p><p>“She is our queen now.” One of the students replied. “We aren’t allowed to give orders to humans.”</p><p>“Zaria’s our friend and you took her away from us!” Gon said. Killua placed a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“No, Skeltos! Don’t attack them yet. They probably just want to talk.”</p><p>“We don’t have time for thinking, Axil!”</p><p>“Talking!” Natasha, one of the directors on the team and a fellow TA firmly corrected Gon. She was helping with costume and makeup alongside Kite, as well as assisting Kurapika with warm-up activities and rehearsals. Her little brother, Abdul, was part of the play and a traveler, so it gave her the opportunity to keep a close eye on him.</p><p>“We don’t have time for talking, Axil!” Gon corrected himself.</p><p>“Cut!” Bisky shouted from the seats, and she stood up, motioning for the scene to cease all movements. “Start over again from the top.”</p><p>They were given pool noodles to use as weapons for the battle scenes because using any of the wooden swords right now would result in someone getting whacked in the face.</p><p>“This is the moment where the human travelers convince the ants that their friend desperately needs them,” Kurapika emphasized, “the ants here on out begin to realize that the king has a deeper relationship with Zaria, their queen, that is much different than the ones he has with his army and the civilians.”</p><p>“When do we get to use swords?” Killua asked tiredly, “I’m tired of waving around this stupid noodle.”</p><p>“Prop design is working on it.” Natasha said.</p><p>“Okay, everyone,” Bisky approached the stage. “We’ve done enough rehearsing for the day. Start rounding up.”</p><p>The children chorused <em>“lunch!” </em>at once, scattering from their positions and assembling in their single-file lines at their respective classes.</p><p>Cheadle commended everyone for their great work. Kurapika had to stop by Morel’s office to ask a few things, telling Pairo he’d meet them in the break room a little bit later.</p><p>“So you’ll be coverin’ these topics for the next few days.” Morel shoved a large binder into someone’s hands.</p><p>Kurapika thought there was a new teacher that arrived. At first, he paid no mind to it, and then his eyes fell on the dark green button-down, black jeans, and shoes. The slicked back hair, and that <em>voice</em>— and <em>that is Leorio </em>talking to Morel right now.</p><p>“Oh, Mr. Kurta!” Morel nodded at him, “How’s that play going?”</p><p>“Great…” Kurapika and Leorio made eye contact in the same vicinity.</p><p>“Sunshine!” <em>This man had the audacity to call him that in front of one his superiors. </em>“What’s up?!”</p><p>“Excuse me, Mr. Mackernasey.” Kurapika chuckled, and he wrapped an arm around Leorio’s and tugged him outside of the office— waiting for a few people to pass by.</p><p>“I think I kinda like where this is going.” Leorio teased.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Kurapika hissed.</p><p>“...Are you that disappointed to see me?”</p><p>“W-What?”</p><p>“Y’know I just…” Kurapika backed up against the wall once Leorio started approaching him, a little too closer than he should be in a hallway where anyone could pass by <em>any second</em>. “I couldn’t stop thinkin’ about that <em>kiss</em>.” he murmured lowly.</p><p>“Mr. Leorio.” Kurapika swallowed, his voice cracked just a tad bit. “Don’t you dare look at me like that.”</p><p>“Like what?”</p><p>“<em>You know what look.</em>” It’s the look Leorio gave him the day they almost kissed, and the day they <em>did </em>kiss right outside his door, the hungry look that made Kurapika want to shove him into the restroom and jump him then and there, up against the stalls. “You’re at my <em>workplace</em>!”</p><p>“You’re right.” Leorio shut his eyes, leaning back. “Sorry, sorry.”</p><p>“We’re supposed to forget that happened.”</p><p>“Right. Cool. Totally. Never happened.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>Leorio started leaning closer again. "But did you miss me?"</p><p>Kurapika smacked him in the arm.</p><p>“Ow!”</p><p>“<em>Dude!</em>” Kurapika blurted out artlessly. Fuck. He’s been spending too much time around children he’s picking up on their lingo.</p><p>“Okay I deserved that.” Leorio rubbed his arm with his free hand.</p><p>“Why are you in Morel’s office?” Kurapika inquired hotly.</p><p>“Oh.” Leorio lifted his binder, “so, Morel wanted me to be a guest visitor for the students for a couple days and teach ‘em a little bit about health and tell them about my career.”</p><p>Kurapika’s hearing this wrong. “<em>You’re going to teach at Yorknew?</em>”</p><p>“Not permanently, <em>silly</em>,” Leorio ruffled Kurapika’s hair playfully, “I’m a guest speaker, technically, since Yorknew General is a sponsor for the school, the PTA committee invited me to talk to each class.”</p><p>“Don’t do that.” Kurapika laughed, “haha, <em>you really </em>shouldn’t do that.”</p><p>“Why not?! My son goes here! This means I can see him often!”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t know how to feel about the man he’d kissed two months ago breathing the same air as him and sharing the same building. Maybe this was a test.</p><p>“That also makes us colleagues now.”</p><p>“Does it?” Kurapika asked weakly. <em>Oh, joy.</em></p><p>Morel popped his head out.</p><p>“We needed to talk about something didn’t we? Mr. Kurta?” He clapped Leorio on the shoulder, “I hope we’re good now Leo.” <em>God.</em> Kurapika forgot that the staff was so good with him they were on first-name basis already.</p><p>“Yeah we’re good. So I start tomorrow?”</p><p>“Yeah! Palm’s gonna hand you your schedule. It’s a little crazy because of the play production but we’ll work our way around it.”</p><p>“Awesome, see ya Sunshine.” Leorio smiled, waving back at Morel.</p><p>“Mr. Leorio—” He’s already turning down the hall in fast strides with those long legs of his.</p><p>"God damn it." Kurapika muttered softly, but with feeling.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, yeah.” Pairo said when Kurapika asked him about this and <em>why </em>he was the only one who wasn’t aware of this. “LP’s volunteering to be a guest speaker here.”</p><p>“Fuck me.”</p><p>“I’m flattered, but you should ask LP to do that.”</p><p>“You have three seconds to run.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Week three, a student collapsed on stage during the capture scene. Kurapika witnessed everyone proceed to lose their shit and Leorio rushed on the stage with a first aid kit, shouting for everyone to calm down, and proceeded to give them chest compressions in the middle of the play.</p><p>The school nurse came in and he explained to her that he was certified to give CPR, and that they should be taken to a hospital immediately and have their parents contacted. The commotion so frightening that Knov said the play production had to be put on a short break while the student was taken away.</p><p>"I need vodka shots." Kurapika told Pairo, Leorio spoke briefly with the paramedics as they wheeled the child into the ambulance. </p><p>Pairo recoiled, patting Kurapika's shoulder sympathetically.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio came to Kurapika’s classroom around late afternoon when they finished morning rehearsal. They had to play it <em>cool</em>, but it was killing him how he warmed up with the other teachers that they were already inviting him along to hang out with them as if he was part of their team. Even Pairo purposefully sent said invites, just to spite Kurapika.</p><p>(<em>“I mean, if you’re not gonna take him for yourself, we will.”</em> Machi said. <em>“I can’t believe you turned down that.”</em></p><p><em>“Right?”</em> Pairo agreed.</p><p>
  <em>“I didn’t turn down anything! There was never anything between us in the first place."</em>
</p><p><em>“Then explain why you’re still in the friend-zone.”</em> Pairo questioned. Kurapika didn’t need to explain anything. They knew why, they knew <em>very well </em>why and he wasn’t going to let his own horniness tell him otherwise.)</p><p>Leorio ventured from class to class to teach them about health, and the kids practically fell in love with him. He went from being part of a sponsorship behind the scenes that’d help out in PTA events to giving guest speeches in the classroom. Leorio was only there for two days and Phinks found a best friend in him <em>everyone </em>saw coming.</p><p>Gon was excited to tell everyone that his dad was here when they met him in Kurapika’s classroom.</p><p>“Why’s the old man here?” Killua irritably asked Kurapika.</p><p>“I’ll get to that in a second,” Kurapika directed them to the carpet. “Everyone, this is Mr. Paladiknight.”</p><p>“My dad!” Gon added cheerfully.</p><p>“Also, Gon’s father,” Kurapika said, “he’s going to be doing a few activities with us and teaching us about exercise, the body, and health habits this afternoon.”</p><p>“What’s up?!” Leorio asked excitedly, “when I say <em>hey</em>, you say <em>ho</em>. Hey!”</p><p>“<em>Ho</em>!”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“<em>Ho!”</em></p><p>“I love the energy here. It’s awesome.” Leorio bounced on the balls of his feet, “I’m gonna tell you guys a little bit about what exercise does to your body. You guys love recess, right?”</p><p>“Yes!” They answered proudly. Killua’s seated next to Gon, a slight scowl on his face while his friend was practically glowing. That’s the look of someone who wanted to be as inspiring as their father someday.</p><p>“Recess is a way to get your energy going. You run around a lot and play games that involve lots of running. Everyone, check your pulse.” Leorio held out his wrist. “You too.” he told Kurapika, who frowned, preferring to stay at the back of the classroom and watch.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Just do it. Y’know, like Nike.”</p><p>“Mr. Leorio I will not.”</p><p>“I’m going to check Mx. Kurta’s pulse.”</p><p>“Leorio—” Kurapika snapped, but Leorio grabbed his hands and put the pads of two fingers on Kurapika’s wrist. The warmth from it made him shiver. “Just a little bit below your wrist, if you feel something beating there. That’s your pulse.” he gently palpated. “Yours is a little fast.”</p><p>Face faintly red, Kurapika grumbled at him. <em>Why do you think that is? </em>He wanted to ask. Leorio touched <em>his </em>pulse and the action was so gentle but it was enough to leave Kurapika feeling breathless.</p><p>The students started claiming that they felt their pulse. Leorio told them to feel each other’s pulses and help anyone who couldn’t find it. He told Kurapika to feel his pulse in the meantime, and he took his large hand into his own and felt his pulse.</p><p>“Whenever we’re relaxed,” Leorio caught their attention, “our hearts beat between sixty and hundred beats per minute. You can count each beat and figure out how much your heart beats, if it’s between those, you have a pretty damn healthy heart beat! Now, you wanna hear something cool?” They nodded eagerly, Kurapika often had trouble getting their attention and the way Leorio did it <em>this </em>easily showed that he was quite good at this. He thought they’d give Leorio a hard time by now. “When you exercise and run around for a few minutes, then you sit down and check your neck or your wrist pulse,” he checked the side of his neck, tapping two fingers against it, “you’ll notice your heart beats so much faster. So, are we ready? When I say go, I need you guys to do twenty jumping jacks. We’re all gonna do it together. Are we ready?!”</p><p>“Yes!”</p><p>“Set? Go! Rapido, rapido!”</p><p>They jumped up from their seated positions to begin doing jumping jacks. Kurapika joined them, the class counting from one to twenty. When they were finished, they sat down on the carpet and checked their pulses, having a revelation that their heart beat sped up faster than normal.</p><p>“How much did your heart beat, Killua?” Gon asked.</p><p>“Probably like, a hundred something times.”</p><p>“Wow, you were counting?!”</p><p>“Sorta. I can count fast.” He boasted, smiling smugly. “This is super easy.”</p><p>“Does this mean we’re dying?” Pokkle asked.</p><p>“No!” Leorio laughed, “you’re just using more energy than normal. So your body needs more oxygen, the air you breathe, so the blood gets through your body quicker!”</p><p>Some of them wanted to feel Kurapika’s pulse. He offered his wrist and let them feel it, finding their curiosity adorable.</p><p>“This time we’re going to run in place for fifteen seconds.” Leorio said, waiting for everyone to catch their breath. “Once you feel your pulse go back to normal, we’ll start.” It took several minutes. “Are we ready?”</p><p>“Yeah!”</p><p>“<em>Wow, </em>already?! You guys have <em>way </em>too much energy!”</p><p>“Never underestimate the power of these children.” Kurapika deadpanned. “After gym and recess their energy levels are off the charts. It’s like I have to stop them from blasting off into outer space.”</p><p>“I love it.” Leorio laughed, “they’re way more motivated than the older kids. Plus they don’t ask me <em>weird </em>questions. I was a chief resident so I mentored younger folks and taught a few CPR classes."</p><p>
  <em>Makes sense. </em>
</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes, “They don’t want to see pictures of you operating either, I hope.”</p><p>“Surprisingly. Not sure why older kids love gruesome pictures so much but scream when I show a diagram of a vagina.” Leorio clapped his hands, “alright kiddos! We ready?!” he asked again for confirmation, their responses were positive. “Set! Go!”</p><p>They spent half the period on learning about the heart and what exercise does for the body, spending the remainder learning about personal hygiene. They didn’t have the knowledge level of older kids who were far more mature to tackle on heavier topics, so Leorio knew how to keep it basic and fun, always throwing in an activity or two to get them moving on their feet. They tended to get restless when they sat for too long. He broke them out into teams and Kurapika handed them all tiny slates to write down answers to the guessing games they played on how to avoid getting sick and taking better care of your body. He gave them high-fives when each team won, except for Killua, who punched him in the balls for even trying to be civil.</p><p>"Good job." Leorio wheezed, giving a weak thumbs-up to everyone else.</p><p>It got super competitive. Zushi and Killua attacked each other over Killua stealing his answer and he called him a stupid <em>smellfungus</em> and Kurapika said that they don't use bad words no one's ever heard of in his classroom.</p><p>"Hey! I'm gonna count from three to one, everybody better stop fighting." Leorio shouted, "break it up! Three, two, one." The class went silent within seconds, amazing Kurapika. "I hate having to do this. You guys wondered why I had to stop you, right? It's because someone was cheating." Leorio warned them, "how's it gonna make it any more fun for everyone else when you're peeking at each other's slates? From now on, if anyone is caught looking at someone else's slate, I'm deducting ten points." They groaned and complained, but Leorio said what he said.</p><p>"No cheatin'! Shake hands. <em>¿Comprende?</em>" He told Killua and Zushi. "Y'know back in my hometown when we'd get into fights at school I'd get smacked with a ruler by my teacher until we apologize to each other and shake on it. Be a good <em>compadre,</em> yeah?" Glaring at each other, the two boys shook hands, and all the rooty-toot energy resumed once more when they continued. He knew how to enforce discipline when he needed to, which was a good thing. They tended to take advantage when teachers were <em>too</em> nice and a substitute from a nice suburban town wouldn't last a single day in this class. It's attractive when a man had the control to make all these children silent with a word and settle them down passive-aggressively.</p><p>He made sure to remind them that Kurapika was both participating and observing, so they shouldn’t give him a hard time. That earned an annoyed <em>screw you old man </em>from Killua, which Leorio tried his best to get on Killua’s good side. He could tell that Killua didn’t like the fact that Leorio was stealing all the attention, talking to Kurapika and whispering things in his ear every now and then something that made him laugh, joking around with the kids, and bickering sometimes.</p><p>“Does anyone have any questions for Mr. Paladiknight?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>"Are you married?" Ponzu asked.</p><p>"Nope." Leorio chuckled, "single, mingle, ready to pringle." The kids laughed as he looked directly at Kurapika and winked at him. Kurapika glared, his cheeks flushed red instantly. "Ain't that right, <em>señorita</em>—" Kurapika aggressively ruffled his hair.</p><p>"<em>Cut it out.</em>" He glared weakly. The kids were giggling at them and Kurapika huffed, folding his arms and leaning beside the easel. "Inappropiate question, Ponzu. Keep it appropriate."</p><p>"How long have you been a surgeon?" Zushi asked.</p><p>"Mm... five years?"</p><p>"Have you seen anyone die?" </p><p>"That's a little too dark isn't it?"</p><p>"Did you? Did you?!"</p><p>"We saw some pretty scary stuff, but I don't wanna scare you guys on those details. So let's keep it at that, okay?"</p><p>Gon raised his hand. </p><p>"What's up?"</p><p>"I love you."</p><p>"Love you too. Next question?"</p><p>"Do you play video games?"</p><p>"I do! My favorite game of all time's probably <em>Sonic Riders.</em>"</p><p>"Me too!" They started asking video game related questions, what Leorio's favorite cartoon or anime was, how he really liked <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em>, many things that they could also relate to which got them excited to keep asking questions.</p><p>"Do you think Mr. Kurta is pretty?" This one caught Kurapika off guard.</p><p>"I think we should keep the questions regarding the<em> lesson</em>," Kurapika emphasized, "I'm sure you're all curious about Mr. Paladiknight and personal questions are fine as long as they aren't inappropriate, then we'd have to end the questionnaire."</p><p>Leorio whispered <em>they are pretty </em>to them, making them giggle. </p><p>"What did you say?" Kurapika asked defensively.</p><p>"Nothin'. Any more questions? Anything health-related thing you'd like to know? A fun fact about my job? I'm basically here to be your doctor and the fun guy. Help me out here." Leorio prompted. He winked at them again and they kept giggling, like Kurapika missed something. </p><p>"Be quiet!" Kurapika scolded them, cheeks still a little red. Their giggling ceased instantly, a little terrified at his anger. </p><p>"...Questions?" Leorio asked again.</p><p>"What's a <em>beenis</em>?" A kid asked.</p><p>"It's when you have three legs." Killua said unironically. </p><p>"Why is it so tiny then?" Zushi asked. </p><p>"Next question!" Leorio happily changed the subject.</p><p>"My dad said I have a fungus on my privates."</p><p>"Oh my God." Kurapika facepalmed in embarrassment.</p><p>"Hoo boy. That doesn't sound good." Leorio answered, "your dad should probably talk to your doctor about yeast infections." Everyone said <em>ew </em>to each other. "Hey hey! It happens! Normally we get a few rashes we ain't too proud of but it's nothing serious with a little treatment. Okay, <em>please </em>ask appropriate questions only and keep it PG in here."</p><p>Pokkle raised his hand.</p><p>"Kid in the cool beret." Leorio pointed at him.</p><p>"Have you done surgery on a grape?" Pokkle asked.</p><p>Leorio laughed, "what, like the meme?"</p><p>Hearing the word <em>meme </em>come out of Leorio's mouth made Kurapika feel a little relieved for some <em>strange </em>reason. Maybe it was because he was hoping he was more <em>hip </em>with the children than he was. Pairo was the one that taught him about pop culture back in Lukso and Kurapika developed different interests he never knew he had from there.</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>"We <em>sure </em>did!"</p><p>They sounded so pleased to hear that, Leorio laughed merrily with them and he looked like he belonged with these kids. He had that natural aura to him. Kurapika desperately wanted that energy gravitated back to him strongly.</p><p>“I heard you stab people with knives.” Killua said.</p><p>“<em>Killua.</em>” Kurapika warned icily.</p><p>“No, no.” Leorio shook his head, prompting to answer Killua’s statement, “technically, we make what’s called <em>incisions</em>. With a <em>scalpel</em>, not a knife.”</p><p>“So you basically stab people open.” The class gasped. “That’s gross. You get people’s blood all over you and stuff.”</p><p>“You have to cut open into the body sometimes if we need to save someone’s life. Again, I wouldn’t call it <em>stabbing </em>someone back to life would I?”</p><p>“So you’re stabbing injured people to death?”</p><p>“Sometimes we patch them up!” Leorio answered, “that’s basically my job. We fix people when they hurt themselves really bad so that they can recover and be better again.”</p><p>“Would you like it if someone stabbed you like that?” Killua asked, “you hurt people for a job?”</p><p>“I think, what Mr. Paladiknight means is that if someone is badly hurt, or sick, they need to <em>operate </em>on the body so that they can <em>heal </em>them. Kind of like when you fall and hurt yourself and there’s a wound. What do your parents do when you fall and hurt yourself?”</p><p>“Kiss the boo-boo away?” Zushi asked.</p><p>“My dad does that all the time!” Gon said.</p><p>“So does my sister.” Abdul added.</p><p>“Unfortunately boo-boo kissing just makes the pain hurt less,” Leorio said. <em>Aw’s </em>filtered the classroom. “But! You just clean it up a bit so it doesn’t get infected, and put a bandaid over it. Then guess what? It’s gone in a few days, and you realize that bad gash you got from playing outside doesn’t hurt anymore. Why do you think that is?”</p><p>“It healed!”</p><p>“You guys are smarter than Einstein, I’m impressed.” Kurapika laughed at Leorio’s comment. “Fun fact about surgeons that they’re funnier than comedians, they always leave you in stitches.”</p><p>The silence dropped on the classroom like a bomb. “Haha, get it? ‘Cause, doctors stitch your wounds back together.” Leorio awkwardly explained. Kurapika tried hard not to laugh, ducking his head low and covering his mouth at the utter confusion.</p><p>“Who’s Dr. Stitch?” Pokkle asked.</p><p>“Moving on!” Leorio changed the subject, “let’s go over what we learned today! How long do you brush your teeth for?”</p><p>“Two minutes!”</p><p>“How long do you wash your hands?”</p><p>“Twenty seconds!”</p><p>“How many meals should you eat per day?”</p><p>“Three!”</p><p>“How many glasses of <em>water </em>should you drink per day?” They struggled with this one, “c’mon we just talked about it!”</p><p>“Six!”</p><p>“Nope! Bidding at one glass of water bidding at two glasses of water bidding at three glasses of water—” Leorio spoke in a <em>perfect </em>auction chant that it even impressed Kurapika. The kids found it funny. Komugi raised her hand. "Girl with the cute pigtails and pink dress?"</p><p>“Three?” She asked.</p><p><em>“Eh!" </em>Leorio imitated a buzzer noise when the wrong answer was pressed. The kids laughed. "Colder. Too cold! We gotta get warmer. Pretend this is like Jeopardy. Anybody watch Jeopardy?" some of them raised their hands, "I love that show. Now act like you're being asked a million dollar question and you gotta think super hard about it."</p><p>“Nine.” Canary answered.</p><p>“Eh!” Leorio jumped, “c’mon c’mon <em>c’mon</em> man you guys are <em>so</em> smart! We gotta impress Mx. Kurta, wow me!”</p><p>Gon raised his hand. Leorio pointed at him. "Boy in the green outfit and cute frog hat who just happens to be my son?"</p><p>“Twelve!” Gon answered proudly.</p><p>“Eh!"</p><p>"Aw man!"</p><p>"Aw man is right. Does no one really remember?” Leorio asked. The kids whispered among themselves. “Going once? Going twice?”</p><p>“No talking without raising your hand.” Kurapika reminded them.</p><p>“Killua knows the answer!” Gon said.</p><p>“No I <em>don’t</em>.” Killua lied.</p><p>“Killua?” Leorio urged him, “take it for the team. Show us all what you’ve learned today and help out your classmates.”</p><p>“Ugh.” Killua rolled his eyes, “it’s eight, obviously.”</p><p>“<em>Sold!</em>”</p><p>The class hollered loudly, they might’ve been the loudest classroom in the hall.</p><p>As Kurapika expected, when it was time for Leorio to leave because he had to teach the middle school health classes none of them wanted him to leave. They wanted Leorio to teach them for the rest of the day and practically clinged to him.</p><p>Leorio's eyes pleaded for Kurapika to help, because even <em>he </em>got too overwhelmed by children wanting things from him constantly. He gave them all high-fives and said he'd be around at the end of the day if their parents wanted to talk to him.</p><p>While he and Kurapika said their goodbyes at the doorway, Leorio took both of Kurapika's hands and squeezed them.</p><p>"See you around."</p><p>Kurapika nodded, dazed. Leorio left. Kurapika could feel how warm his cheeks felt. He came back into the classroom and noticed his entire class was huddled by the doorway watching them. They quickly bounced, scattering back to their chairs and folding their hands together as if they weren't just caught in the act.</p><p>Kurapika eyed all of them like a hawk.</p><p>"Let's continue our lesson." He drawled slowly. During the rest of the lesson, nothing helped to ease the way his heart beated so fast in his chest and he hadn't done anything energized since Leorio's lesson ended, the butterflies in his stomach a constant reminder of how rough but delicate Leorio's hands were holding his.</p><p>He's in trouble.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The rest of week three and four blurred together and was a bit rushed because of assemblies and school events, they had to cram missing hours into afternoon rehearsals to make up for the lost time. The rehearsing portion of the play might've needed a lot of work, but Kurapika started to enjoy spending time with his other colleagues now that Cheadle was making them spend six weeks in a sweaty, hot auditorium and their classes of hyperactive children of various ages.</p><p>There was this couch backstage dubbed as <em>The Couch</em> that hadn't been replaced since the school opened up, though that was a rumor. No one could confirm where it came from and who invested in it, but it's tattered down to the bone and the faded brown color showed that the color it once had long decayed. After-school, all of them would come crashing The Couch, except it couldn't fit more than three to four people at once and it sat right in the middle of the makeshift dressing room they'd be using to hang all the costumes on display. Sitting there meant sitting in someone's lap or on top of the couch, or the edge of the couch, first come first serve.</p><p>The Couch was basically their second home for the time-being until rehearsals were over and they could leave the auditorium. They didn't start using it until week five when everyone became too exhausted to go back to the teacher's lounge and talk about progress there. </p><p>They played a game of charades and neglected work duties while Bisky wasn't around.</p><p>"What am I?! What am I?!" Shalnark asked. He had the words <em>playing hopscotch </em>on his forehead as they struggled to give a proper demonstration without looking like idiots of what hopscotch was. "Jump rope?!"</p><p>"No! No!"</p><p>"Is it dancing?!"</p><p>"Who dances like this?!"</p><p>"You're gettin' it all wrong." Phinks said, "it's hopscotch."</p><p>Everyone stared at him.</p><p>"Phinksy." Machi said, once everyone stopped hopping around.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"You guessed what the word was. <em>Again</em>."</p><p>"I thought that was the point of this game."</p><p>"No, sweetie," Pakunoda tossed her hair back, "the game is to guess what's on Shal's head without actually saying what it is."</p><p>"Oh!" Phinks facepalmed.</p><p>"Kick him out." Feitan glared.</p><p>"Why you little..." </p><p>"Relax! Relax!" Kurapika pushed Phinks gently away from Feitan who stuck his tongue out at him. "Let's just do another round. And please don't guess <em>out loud</em> this time."</p><p>"I wanna go next!" Uvogin volunteered.</p><p>"Win first." Shalnark winked.</p><p>"Order delivery." Nobunaga entered backstage, pretending to knock on the wall. </p><p>"For what?" Pairo asked.</p><p>"Did anybody order ten Papa John pizzas?" Leorio walked in. Everyone cheered.</p><p>"Pizza time!" Uvogin and Phinks rejoiced.</p><p>He wasn’t alone this time, though, he came with Zepile and Pietro.</p><p>"Is there a party goin' on in here?" Zepile asked.</p><p>"We're playing charades." Shizuku said. Melody and Basho came in with drinks, cups, and plates, because the three couldn't hold everything on their own. The others assisted them by putting it on the table.</p><p>"No one has any allergies right?" Leorio asked in his best doctor's voice.</p><p>"Yeah." Phinks said, "Fei doesn't like pineapples."</p><p>"Good thing I only got pepperoni, cheese, and sausage."</p><p>"Wow Leorio, I didn't realize how much of a hunk you really are." Pairo praised, immediately digging in. Kurapika and Leorio smiled at each other, giggling as they set up the table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The following night, Leorio and his friends were invited to Knuckle's for pool and darts while Mito took Gon home.</p><p>They didn’t have time to talk one-on-one like they had a few weeks back, not when everyone was asking Leorio so many questions about his work, Pietro answering some for him when it all got too overwhelming and Zepile telling stories about his illegal business.</p><p>They had a whole party come into the bar so it was <em>busy</em>, a little overwhelming for Kurapika as well, he just stuck around Pairo, Melody, and Basho and listened to the rest of them fill Leorio in on all the drama at the school, constantly talking over each other and yelling above normal volume. They exchanged phone numbers with each other, told Leorio about how scary Bisky was and how she was not so scary anymore now that they found out about her secret fanfiction stash, which faculty member to avoid and who were the nicest out of the bunch you could get a few favors from.</p><p>He probably caught a whiff of the sexual tension oozing off some of their colleagues tonight, Kurapika wasn't the only one with cravings tonight and the drinks made them a little more bold when Pakunoda made out with Machi by sucking the lime put in her mouth in a game of truth or dare, or the way Phinks casually hauled Feitan in his lap when he and Leorio got into an arm-wrestling match. Uvogin talking into Shalnark's ear and the two giggling, his arm thrown around Nobunaga's shoulder. Another co-worker chatting up Shizuku, Kurapika and Leorio getting to dance closely together during their impromptu dance session.</p><p>Knuckle said these perfectly crafted jello shots were on the house for making it to Tech Week. Officially the hardest week of all, because Bisky expected them to have <em>everything</em> together by then and allowed no delays.</p><p>They also sang at the top of their lungs to <em>Mood Swings</em> by Pop Smoke while Kurapika and Leorio exchanged smiles, entertained by their friends' antics respectively. Knuckles was shouting at them from the counter and serving them shots, taking a liking to their presence. Leorio had even sang along and it was almost embarrassing they were acting like this, hiding his face, Melody just laughing and Shalnark recording everyone. He didn't know how to feel about Leorio saying the verses <em>see the pussy through the panties</em> without an ounce of fucking shame.</p><p>He didn’t figure out that this all was planned when they all suddenly had to leave.</p><p>"Bye Mr. Worldwide!" Machi waved, somehow their almost fully drunken selves came up with a new nickname for Leorio after they all became besties with him in the course of a few days. They liked Leorio so much it was criminal, giggling and sending themselves in a fit of laughter as they stumbled out the door.</p><p>"It was nice meetin' you bro." Phinks clapped him on the shoulder, "yo, LP's pretty dope, Pika. He should chill with us more often."</p><p>"We leavin' already?" Zepile asked.</p><p>"We're goin' bar-hoppin." Pakunoda said, "you guys can come with us if you wanna."</p><p>"Oh hell yeah. Mind if I bring along this girl I'm seein'?"</p><p>"Sure, we love a good crowd."</p><p>Pairo made eye contact with Pietro, cocking his head out the door. Pietro looked at Leorio.</p><p>"When are you ever gonna go out and party when Vera's on a good day? You know she's never on a good day since she got pregnant." Leorio urged him to go.</p><p>Pietro laughed. "You're right. She's gonna rip me a new one anyway for coming home late, spare me, it's my day off and I deserve to enjoy it a little. See ya, compa."</p><p>"A'ight. Tell her I said hi." Pietro and Leorio fist-bumped each other and hugged each other. Pietro got the memo instantly, sending Kurapika a teasing glance and saying that it was nice meeting all of them. He followed Zepile and Pairo, Basho and Melody the last to leave after giving them hugs and leaving the bar. Kurapika looked around. Pairo was gone, too. He sent a text saying <em>sorry, bestie </em>😘 and slipped through the glass doors.</p><p>“Huh.” Kurapika blinked. He’s been greatly betrayed.</p><p>“So it’s just the two of us.” Leorio chuckled.</p><p>“It… seems so.” Save for a few other people here that’s chatting up Knuckle, but they were strangers. “I’m sorry if they all seem very… <em>loud</em>.”</p><p>“It’s fine, I like them a lot. They got the same vibe the BBFL had in college.” Leorio said. “I’m used to big company. I do have a big family myself.”</p><p>“You understand.”</p><p>“So how long have you known them?”</p><p>“I met them when I started working, other than Pairo, who I’ve known since birth practically. Some of them were friends in college, actually. They called themselves <em>The Phantom Troupe</em>. Machi says they did a bunch of dumb college kid things and got themselves into a lot of trouble, but I don’t really know the bond between them.”</p><p>"So you didn't know them beforehand?"</p><p>"No, Pairo and I didn't even go to college in this country exactly." Kurapika laughed, "my first year of teaching here, he was more acquainted with everyone and it was incredibly stressful for me because I didn't know anyone, I was new to the job, and well, Melody and Basho were the first people to be more welcoming to me before everyone else. But Pairo said everyone's first year feels like a fast-moving train and a lot of things to get used to. Somehow we got really close after the second year and their group kinda welcomed the rest of us."</p><p>“They’re actually pretty nice.” Leorio said, “I don’t know what I expected when I started volunteering here, like maybe a <em>Mom Club </em>type of vibe of people who have sticks shoved up their asses.”</p><p>“They’re the complete opposite.”</p><p>“I’m glad you got to meet my friends, though. They talk to me about you way too much.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“God, yeah.” Leorio chuckled, “...so I never got to ask, how was your break?”</p><p>“I went back home.” Kurapika sipped a little water to drown out the shots they coaxed him into taking earlier. “Nothing too fancy. Just saw family.”</p><p>Leorio shook his head lightly, "and I saw a UFO."</p><p>"Tell me what kind!"</p><p>Leorio laughed, "is that all?"</p><p>"Yeah!" Kurapika said. Leorio didn't look convinced. He rolled his eyes. "My life's not as glorious as you think it is." he doesn't post much. So there's a lot to leave to the eye, other than a couple photos and videos, he kept his life private.</p><p>"I watched a lot of Pairo's stories."</p><p>...Pairo was the opposite.</p><p>"We just explored a lot there, went on a few boat rides, visited my uncle's old farm, kids at the old community center. Just places Pairo and I used to go to."</p><p>Leorio was extremely attentive, "is that where you grew up?"</p><p>"Yes, Mr. <em>I'm not a Fed</em>."</p><p>"It's harmless questions! I tell you about my life all the time that I'm afraid it's annoying yet I know like, one or two things about you."</p><p>"There's nothing you need to know. I went to college like two hours away and it was frightening because I knew next to no one and barely fit in, I don't know when I overcame all that anxiety but I did. Ten years later, I'm in Yorknew teaching for a living. There you have it, a brief crash course on Kurapika Kurta."</p><p>"Very disappointing."</p><p>Kurapika gasped, offended. "I thought that was pretty solid."</p><p>"Telling me you were best friends with D.B Cooper would be a little more interesting." Leorio snorted, "but fine, fine. I'll take what I can get. I'm just interested in knowin' more about the cute teacher my son likes so much."</p><p>"What about you?" Kurapika asked, challenging. "I'm surprised a <em>Paladiknight spouse </em>isn't in the picture, unless they're in the form of a partner you're secretly wooing I know nothing about?"</p><p>"I didn't know this was a fed interrogation." Leorio hid his smile by sipping his beer. Kurapika lightly kicked him with the heel of his shoe, and they both laughed.</p><p>He's a little disappointed Leorio didn't answer the question directly, but he didn't let that deter the mood. "So what'd you do on your vacation?"</p><p>“I finally had the time to take Gon to see some of his family. He doesn’t really get out of the country much. Mito doesn’t have much money to travel, but sometimes his uncle comes into town and comes up with these insane spontaneous trips to take him on before he leaves and I have no choice but to let him because it’s the court’s order for who’s in custody that very week.” Leorio explained.</p><p>“Is this by any chance Ging? Ging Freecs?”</p><p>“He’s in town isn’t he?” Leorio asked tiredly. “He didn’t even tell anyone shit! Just pops up outta nowhere like some space alien and disappears the next day!"</p><p>“...Well the other day he asked Gon if they wanted to go to <em>Walmart </em>together and then try out food samples at IKEA.”</p><p>“That sounds like Ging. I need to check his room if he brought anything home they didn’t buy.”</p><p>Kurapika laughed, “well your family’s quite interesting.”</p><p>“His uncle’s a douchebag and he’s basically been disowned from the family for decades. He's one of those fancy archeologists, so you'd probably heard a thing or two about him."</p><p>"I haven't, but that's incredibly surprising."</p><p>"<em>Yeah</em>. Sometimes I feel bad about <em>my job</em> keepin' me busy, but it doesn't keep me out of the fucking country for God knows how long. Imagine going <em>Indiana Jones</em> on your kid! He brings back a couple gifts as a token of appreciation, some of which, has already been broken because Gon breaks everything. Last time he handed Gon some kinda ancient skull thingy and we been havin' bad luck for weeks 'till we finally got rid of it."</p><p>"I didn't think those things existed outside of movies."</p><p>"You wouldn't fucking believe what we've seen. But this is his uncle who explores tombs and catacombs for a living. But anyway. Thanks for letting me know. Mito didn’t tell me anything either and I knew she'd be watching over him for the week.”</p><p>"I take it that your trip went well, hopefully?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>Leorio pulled out his phone, “I posted a bunch on my Instagram but, it was <em>great</em>. Last time I took Gon down here was when he was like a year old so he barely remembers anything.” He showed highlights that Kurapika wouldn’t admit he’s already seen. Growing familiar with the two bulky men with what looked like tribal tattoos, one that had a manbun, and another that had a shaved head but shared the same features as Leorio. Arturo Paladiknight was the tallest, the oldest between them, and had hair that fell down to his shoulders, a bit tanner than the other two brothers, and Rafael was the shortest and the youngest while Leorio was the middle child. He showed a photo of a beautiful woman with brunette hair with blond highlights, her name was Alicia. A couple other relatives that paraded Gon around the streets and spent time visiting old attractions.</p><p>There’s a picture Leorio took in his swimming trunks at a cenote. Kurapika spotted a strip of black ink from his left pectoral and toward his shoulder which was hidden while he faced his front to the camera.</p><p>“Where’d you get that?” Kurapika asked curiously.</p><p>“Ah, Rafael and Arturo wanted to get matching tats the last time we visited. See, my dad, both he and my mom still live farther up North closer to where we moved to as kids, he’s pretty much been inked out. <em>Mi abulelito’s</em> pretty old fashioned with this stuff and he took my dad to an artist he’s been friends with for like, eighty years now, we went to him to get our tats.” Leorio gestured to the sleeve of his button down, “I got it someplace where it’s mostly covered so you don’t see it like my brothers as often.” Suddenly Kurapika had the urge to see where the rest of it was, “It’s <em>Quetzalcoatl</em>," the way the name fell off his lips beautifully ennoble, "a deity of winds and rain. Also the worst pain I ever experienced in my life.” he added with a laugh.</p><p>“What about your sister?” Kurapika questioned next.</p><p>“She has an eagle on her leg.”</p><p>“I see. They’re very beautiful.” Kurapika admired as Leorio showed him more pictures.</p><p>“Thank you,” Leorio smiled, “Gon wants one one day. I promised him when he’s older we’ll definitely come by and see him. I wanna get him more connected with our culture and our family so he doesn't fall out of touch with my roots. <em>Mi padre</em> told me he’d been giving tattoos even before he was born.”</p><p>“He really loves you, you know?” Kurapika said. Leorio looked him in the eye. “He wants to be just like you.”</p><p>“I think he’d make a good biologist, less of a doctor. My boy loves to explore the world, kinda why he enjoys spending time with his uncle.”</p><p>“No,” Kurapika laughed, “I just— I see how much you <em>do </em>for him and how he looks up to you, at the beginning of the year when I asked what he wanted to do when he was older he said that he wanted to be just as amazing as his dad was.”</p><p>“It might look like we’re really tight-knit, he’s my little ranita and I wouldn’t change anything for the world. But I still don’t get to spend much time with him. I’m always working, constantly, I’m lucky that I have friends and family who’d like to watch over him and his friends when I’m gone. But I’ve had plenty of people tell me why I signed up to be a father at all.”</p><p>“Well they’re wrong.” Kurapika said, “you’re working the best you can to keep a roof over his head and not once have I ever seen him upset. Even if I have to keep him behind hours after school because you’re running late, he’d always say that he understands and knows you’ll always come to get him. He never gives up on you. He trusts you. He trusts you in a way that most kids don’t. I’m saying the truth when I tell you he’s such a remarkable student, that’s why he was given one of the lead roles in our play after all.” he smiled.</p><p>“You’re the reason why he shines to his best potential.” Leorio said fondly. “It’s that little ray of sunshine you hide in your pocket, only comes out when you really want it to.”</p><p>Gon <em>was </em>the embodiment of the sun. It gave Kurapika a better sense of why he does what he does now, giving them a chance to think over their own futures.</p><p>This was the first time tonight Leorio was walking him all the way up to his apartment, and they’re talking about the final week of rehearsals fastly approaching and the pressure built up on everyone.</p><p>“I saw you practice with them sometimes, when I had time to spare I came a little early.”</p><p>“Ugh, I know. I was actively engaged in theatre when I was like, fourteen. So any insults you have coming for me, you’d best save it. It’s just very nostalgic to be part of a play production again.”</p><p>“I liked seeing you practice with them. It was cute. Gon told me a bit about what the play was about but it sounds like it’s gonna be awesome.”</p><p>“It’s done nothing but stress us out. Bisky’s going to rip us all a new one, and the responsibility to assist as stage manager and director will be the death of me.”</p><p>“If you guys need any help, since I’ll be in the school a few hours a day now I can help you out.”</p><p>“You don’t have to.”</p><p>“You said the same thing when I delivered like, ten pizzas to the dressing room.”</p><p>“And you paid for all of that.”</p><p>“It’s my treat! You guys deserve it!”</p><p>“I don’t know, I think it’s silly.”</p><p>“What is?”</p><p>“That this ridiculous play about human beings facing off against creatures of the unknown and learning about the power of friendship means so much to me. I lost a big role once because I burnt myself out to exhaustion and someone else had to take it.” Kurapika laughed, “no one really understands that making sure this goes right is important to me. But I’m a perfectionist, so I’m being smited for being like this since I was born.”</p><p>“Ain’t nothin’ wrong with being passionate about something you care about.”</p><p>“Thank you for all the help you’ve done today too.” Kurapika patted Leorio’s chest. “You’re a good man, and a good father.” <em>I want a man like you in my life but I’m too scared to take that leap.</em></p><p>“Let me help out with the play.” Leorio insisted. “We got what, a week left?”</p><p>“Still tying up some loose ends with the production.”</p><p>“Then you need all the helping hands you can get. I can sense it. This is gonna be the biggest, most amazing, most <em>coolest </em>play Yorknew has to offer and they wouldn’t have gone this far without your push—”</p><p>Kurapika cupped Leorio’s cheeks, rising to his tip-toes and kissed him firmly.</p><p>💋💋💋</p><p>“Wait—” Leorio murmured between kisses, voice hushed, and his grip around Kurapika’s waist gentle but cautious, “I thought we were keeping it cool.”</p><p>“Please,” Kurapika pleaded against his lips. He tugged Leorio closer and had his back against the door. “I just— I want—”</p><p>“What do you want?” Leorio nosed the shell of Kurapika’s ear,</p><p>“Something. Anything.” Kurapika urged, raking his fingers through Leorio’s hair. Leorio’s fingers slid down Kurapika’s shirt, popping open the buttons of Kurapika’s jeans. His lips sucked on his neck and his breath hitched.</p><p>“I knew you’ve been thinkin’ about this.” Leorio’s fingers traced the pad of his underwear, pressing lightly. Kurapika hissed.</p><p>“Inside.” he coaxed. Kurapika retrieved his keys from his bag and opened the door, dropping the keys to the floor as he hauled Leorio inside. He shut the door behind them.</p><p>“Bedroom?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Mhm.” His hands hooked underneath his thighs and lifted him up effortlessly. Oh how it was a fantasy come true to be in the clutch of strong arms and the smell of faded old spice, lips latched on to each other on the trek to the bedroom. Their kissing more languid than harried, and <em>searing</em>. Which admittedly, resulted in knocking a few things down because this was his first time here and Kurapika aimlessly navigated him through swears and laughing. Leorio lowered Kurapika on the mattress, his body on top of Kurapika’s and he rolled his hips so <em>good </em>against him and Kurapika had already forgotten what this felt like since the one partner he had in high school he slept with two years ago after a stupid hookup, because they’d broken up after college and neither of them were ready.</p><p>Kurapika unbuttoned Leorio’s shirt and his hands roamed his chest insatiably, from the city’s night lights out the window the black ink of the tattoo shone brightly.</p><p>“Can I try something?” Leorio asked, Kurapika’s eyes fluttered open— half-lidded, focused on the feeling of friction when Leorio’s hips met his and his legs unconsciously spread wide. He nodded.</p><p>Leorio’s hand slipped under Kurapika’s shirt, traced over his navel, and down his jeans. He didn’t remove them, instead, teasing the growing dampness in his briefs.</p><p>“I wanna see you touch yourself, baby.” Leorio whispered. He’d been <em>aching </em>for Leorio to touch him, and yet, Kurapika’s hand slipped past his underwear and he rubbed tight circles around his clit. His cheeks flushed red, feeling himself squirm under Leorio’s ardent gaze. His breath caught in his throat and he moaned, pitched. Leorio swallowed thickly, “that’s it. You look so gorgeous, <em>mi precioso</em>.”</p><p>He felt the need to hide, and he still had clothes on. "Did you think about it too?" Leorio asked, patient. The teasing lilt to his voice, a little scratchy, sent shivers down Kurapika's spine. He rubbed a little harder, a throaty moan escaping him.</p><p>"Yes." </p><p>"What'd you think about, hm?" Leorio nipped on his jaw, "tell me, Sunshine."</p><p>"I thought about you kissing me." Kurapika said between gasps, Leorio's faint "mhm's," were saccharine sweet and it drove him <em>mad </em>how he could be so calm and charming all at once. "I thought about you touching me. <em>Ah</em>, L-Leorio..."</p><p>"Keep going." Leorio's breath quickened, harder, feverish. Kurapika's fingers slickened with each movement, visions of Leorio's fingers inched deep inside him and how his cock would feel on sleepless nights. He wondered if he knew how to make love with no rush like its their first time and blow his mind, if he knew how to <em>fuck </em>like he meant it, if he could make Kurapika forget everything that ailed him and replace it with nothing but pure bliss.</p><p>“Leorio,” Kurapika demanded, his moans were quick and wavering, “I need you.”</p><p>“Tell me then.” Leorio’s tongue traced over the shell of his ear. Kurapika moved his fingers hastily, but it wasn’t enough. Leorio was barely touching him but he responded as if he was, other than feathery light touches against his thigh, his stomach, kisses on his neck, just about overwhelmed by his own stimulation.</p><p>“Touch me.” Kurapika whispered in his ear. </p><p>Leorio tugged Kurapika’s hand away and replaced Kurapika’s fingers with his own, and he rubbed <em>fast</em>, another finger entered him and curled <em>just right</em>, and Kurapika whimpered— reaching to remove Leorio’s glasses from his eyes and hold them to his chest so he could look into them, blown-back, pupils wide, a beautiful shade of amber.</p><p>His moans had been so loud he hadn’t registered when the pitch in his voice had arose, it felt so good it was uncontrollable, and the noises that spilled from his lips with the way Leorio’s fingers quickly gathered a rhythm with so much <em>ease</em>. The sumptuous pleasure settled deep within his core built up faster than he’d anticipated, like Leorio had endless experience he hadn’t been prepared for and was just taking himself along the ride with his dear life.</p><p>He’d cum so hard his body shuddered wholly with a soft cry. Leorio coaxed him through it, kissing him tenderly. Kurapika’s first instinct was to reach for Leorio’s belt and unbuckle it, wanting to cup his hardness. Leorio stopped him, a hand fastened securely around his wrist.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Leorio tugged his jeans down and pulled his dick out, Kurapika’s jaw dropped at the <em>size</em>.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Kurapika found himself asking. He wanted to touch it, taste it, ride it. Jumbled thoughts in a post-orgasmic haze he was too exhausted to act on but Leorio politely refused, wrapping his hand around his length. The pink tip leaking pre-cum, twitching from being trapped in his jeans a prolonged amount of time. </p><p>“Mhm,” he grunted. Leorio tugged at his cock slowly. He inhaled sharply through his nose and let out a growl. Kurapika's hands soothed his arms, catching his breath.</p><p>"Cum for me, <em>doctor.</em>" he crooned, perfectly placate.</p><p>Leorio's body stiffened, and with a few rapid strokes Kurapika heard him moan, guttural, stroking himself to completion. </p><p>“Fuck.” Leorio chuckled, “nothin’s got me goin’ like that in a while, not like the look on your face.”</p><p>Kurapika laughed after a tired moan, “I wasn’t expecting you to be <em>that </em>good.”</p><p>“People tell me I’m good with my hands.”</p><p>They both laughed.</p><p>"You're a very strange man, Mr. Leorio."</p><p>"You intrigue me, Mr. Kurta."</p><p>💋💋💋</p><p>“I don’t mean to keep you here.” Kurapika said, apologetic. He scratched under Leorio's chin affectionately, a hint of a smile on his lips. “I don’t know what came over me.” his raging sexual frustration, that’s what it was. But they've already done it, made a huge leap over a clear boundary and there's only crashing down the rocketship from here.</p><p>They probably wouldn't talk about this.</p><p>But <em>damn</em>, did he like it too much for it to stop after this.</p><p>“Well I’m kinda feelin’ thirsty.” Leorio zipped up his jeans and buttoned it back. “How about you?”</p><p>“A little.” Kurapika confessed. He pulled his shirt down and buttoned his jeans back as well. “...Would you like some tea before you go?” he asked, lifitng himself up in a seated position.</p><p>Toodles wandered into the room and scared Leorio by hopping into his lap. "Whoa! Hey there beautiful. Who's this?"</p><p>"Toodles."</p><p>"Isn't she a sight for sore eyes?"</p><p>Kurapika chuckled, "she was taking a nap. My neighbor dropped her off about half an hour ago."</p><p>"I can't leave without getting to know her now." Leorio said, lifting her in his arms. "So about that tea."</p><p>"Yeah?" Kurapika kicked his boots off.</p><p>“What kind?” Leorio asked intently.</p><p>“Jasmine.”</p><p>“Oh fuck yeah.”</p><p>"Clean up first." Kurapika shoved him off the bed, directing Leorio to the bathroom. "Time for your late night dinner." he whispered to Toodles. "You'll like him. He's nice." he promised.</p><p>She looked happy to have company over.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:34 P.M]: </strong>He dropped me off.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:35 P.M]: </strong>And then we had sex.</p><p><strong>Pairo [11:36 P.M]: </strong>PO3DMF4PJMPO3EJRMOFNGKVNVRJKENFKNKGNSKNDFJN</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:37 P.M]: </strong>I made him tea and he talked about his favorite geriatric patient that asks him out to dinner every week.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:37 P.M]: </strong>And then he left.</p><p><strong>Pairo [11:38 P.M]: </strong>How can your sex life be this boring 😩😩😩😩😩 did he bang you against the wall</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:39 P.M]: </strong>Rehearsals are tomorrow morning, eight a.m sharp. We’re reviewing costume designs with Kite. Leorio is joining us, so don’t be late.</p><p><strong>Pairo [11:40 P.M]: </strong>i always knew you had bad daddy issues pika, there’s no need to be ashamed about it now :)</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:41 P.M]: </strong>GOODNIGHT PAIRO.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t tell Pairo how Leorio left him a hundred bucks to get some coffees in the morning, which was <em>more </em>than enough. Said that if he wanted this again just give him a call with a wink before he left.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The kids were granted reccess time during tech week, and Pairo had rushed up to Kurapika when it was nearly time for them to go back to class that a bunch of high schoolers had a day off and they were terrorizing the playground, fighting with some of Kurapika's students.</p><p>"They hit some of them." Pairo panted.</p><p>"Yeah it's really crazy out there." Machi said, right behind him. "Even the teachers can't stop them. They won't leave no matter what they tell them."</p><p>"Where are they?" Kurapika rose from his desk chair.</p><p>"The basketball court." Machi replied.</p><p>Kurapika will not stand for this.</p><p>He left his classroom in fast strides, rushing past Melody and Basho who turned around, confused.</p><p>"Where's he goin'?" Basho asked.</p><p>"Teenagers messing around with kids." Machi sighed. "Gimme a break."</p><p>"Oh no." Melody gasped, "I hope they're okay..."</p><p>Kurapika pushed open the double doors at the doors leading past the cafeteria and exit, the staircase that lead to the middle school of Yorknew had a hall that reached another exit straight to the playground they were taken to after lunch.</p><p>He made a break for it into the basketball court where a crowd of kids were arguing with a group of older teenagers that stole their basketballs from them because they wanted to crash the court.</p><p>"What's going on?" Kurapika asked, he turned around and saw a scratch on Killua, Zushi, and Gon's faces. "Have you guys been fighting?"</p><p>"They've been being mean to us!" Komugi angrily pointed at the teenagers. Canary had also stood in front of the others protectively. All their hula-hoops and jump ropes dropped to the ground.</p><p>"They were calling us names and when we tried to push them out they hit us." Canary explained. </p><p>"They were here since we came outside to play." Ponzu said. "Killua, Gon, and Zushi started fighting with them after they hit Pokkle with the ball. He's in the nurse's office."</p><p>"Is that true?" Kurapika asked everyone else.</p><p>They nodded.</p><p>He turned around and faced the teenagers, catching the ball they tried to throw at them again, talking and laughing with each other.</p><p>"Hey." Kurapika glared up at them. He knew these teenagers were tall enough to tower over him but they were still bratty children. "What's the meaning of this?"</p><p>"Suck my dick." The leader shot back. They laughed, high-fiving each other. "We're just playing ball."</p><p>"Clearly not when you're giving my students a hard time."</p><p>They weren't taking him seriously, not a single bit. "What're you gonna do? Give us a detention or some shit? Call our parents? You can't do shit."</p><p>Kurapika handed Gon the ball. He didn't notice Leorio walk out the back door leading out the cafeteria with another teacher, because he wanted to grab a snack for his lunch break when he saw the commotion at the basketball court.</p><p>He stepped up to the leader's face. "Please leave." he asked calmly. "You're not allowed to play in here when school is in session."</p><p>"Fuck you." One of their friends spat, and Kurapika felt a ball hit him in the side, hard. He stumbled to the ground and hit his rear, the rough concrete scratched against the fabric of his jeans.</p><p>"Mr. Kurta!" Everyone cried out.</p><p>"Stay back!" Kurapika demanded.</p><p>"B-But, they hit you!" Killua glowered at the teenagers, "You buttheads! How could you hurt Mr. Kurta?!" he ran at them and tackled one of the teenagers with all his might, and he bit into his hand.</p><p>"Shit!" he winced, and he shoved Killua to the ground. "He fuckin' bit me!"</p><p>"Killua!" Gon rushed over to help him up.</p><p>"He hit our teacher." Killua said darkly, glaring at them.</p><p>"Killua." Kurapika said softly, dusting himself off. "It's okay."</p><p>"But it's not!" Killua argued, "they aren't supposed to hit you!"</p><p>"Mr. Kurta said to stay back." Gon told him. He looked like he was restraining himself, too.</p><p>"Not like anything is gonna happen to us." The leader said haughtily, "we can do whatever we want. We run this playground now and if we wanna play here we can. A bunch of bitchy little kids can't tell us anything."</p><p>That tore it. Kurapika would have to teach them a lesson.</p><p>"What's going on?!" Leorio intervened, weaving through the crowd. Kurapika stood up, the teenagers kept on laughing and their smiles vanished when they saw the vengeful gaze in Kurapika's eyes once they'd turned deep scarlet. </p><p>"W-What the Hell...?" They stepped back. The leader still had the ball in his hands. Kurapika walked up to them and yanked the ball out of his hands, tugging him by the arm and throwing him to the ground. He grabbed the arm of one of their friends and flipped him on his back, tugging the last goon's arm behind his back. He didn't want to inflict too much damage on them, but hurt them enough to teach them a lesson. His kids cheered him on as Kurapika kicked the back of his knee and pushed him down to his knees.</p><p>"N-No way..." Leorio gulped. "What the Hell?"</p><p>"If you must stoop so <em>low </em>to feel so good about yourselves, you best think over how you'll survive in the future with a mindset like that." Kurapika snatched the ball away from the leader, twitching in pain. </p><p>"Who the fuck are you?!" The leader gritted out, the gang of older kids scrambled up to their feet cowardly and huddled close to each other.</p><p>"I'm their teacher." Kurapika's eyes glowed, threatening. "You three should be ashamed of yourselves, picking on children."</p><p>One of the teachers monitoring recess angrily blew a whistle, intervening. </p><p>"They don't belong here." Leorio told them. Kurapika whirled around, nervous to see that Leorio was there watching it all go down. The kids rejoiced happily when the teenagers were escorted into the building, likely for their parents to be contacted, the court given back to them.</p><p>"Are you sure you're not bred from a mafia family too?" Leorio asked, incredulous. "I just saw you flip over three guys. Again!"</p><p>"Again?!" Kurapika asked once the kids scattered to grab all their playground items.</p><p>"I-I might've... seen you kick a couple guys' asses when you were drunk."</p><p>"How much didn't you tell me about that night?!"</p><p>"I promise this is the last thing! I swear it!"</p><p>He didn't want to reveal grandpa Rekan's vigorous teaching methods on self-defense. "As soon as Pairo told me they were in trouble I had to help them. It was nothing."</p><p>"That was amazing."</p><p>Kurapika blushed at the compliment. He had friends at school ditch him after he'd beat up some guys picking on them because they'd be too scared to hang out with him, upon realizing he wasn't that sweet kid who helped others on their homework and liked to read poetry aloud in class. Pairo always stuck around, though. He was the only one who did.</p><p>"Leorio..."</p><p>"I was actually on my way to get lunch." Leorio said, rubbing the back of his nape. "I know you have to take 'em back to the classroom, but i-if you need anything... I can get something for you."</p><p>"Anything would be nice." Kurapika said. "I still have time." he smiled bashfully.</p><p>Abdul had actually picked them all sunflowers from near the small garden, giving it to each of them when they piled back into the classroom. He was too scared to involve himself in the fight so he wanted to do something that brightened their day after those immature teenagers ruined it for them. He even had one specially picked for Meruem, which Komugi said he loved.</p><p>"Can you save this for Pokkle?" Abdul handed Kurapika a sunflower, "for when he comes back from the nurse's office."</p><p>"Of course." Kurapika smiled.</p><p>They were happy to see Kurapika bring Pokkle back to the classroom with a bandaid on his cheek and feeling better. Ponzu ran up to him and enveloped him in a warm hug, the most nervous about how he was doing.</p><p>"You should've seen the way Mr. Kurta beat those guys up!" Zushi whispered the second the other boy got seated, and they started talking amongst themselves about the whole ordeal. Kurapika sighed heavily.</p><p>He came back to his desk, seeing a subway sandwich on his desk and his favorite Starbucks drink.</p><p>A note was attached to it.</p><p>
  <em>-Good luck!!! -L.P. &lt;3</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The costumes Kite worked on were breathtakingly gorgeous.</p><p>What caught Kurapika’s eye was the queen’s costume. The cast had worked their lines into their memory and breezed through dress rehearsals, tested the props, and the orchestra had effortlessly practiced the music to be interwoven into the scenes behind every song. The final changes to the set’s design were in motion and less complications were shown throughout. Each time Kurapika left the school last after staying behind to help lock up Leorio was there to give him a ride home, sometimes with Gon, and he’d be forced into eating something with them at a fast food restaurant because Kurapika usually forgone eating for most the day other than a light snack.</p><p>The only thing on his mind were rehearsals and their efforts were finally making its mark. His budding excitement and nervousness for the final performance hit him like a truck when they gathered together after rehearsing the final scene.</p><p>Gon tugged on the overall dress attached to Kurapika's striped, black and white long sleeved shirt.</p><p>"What is it, hun?"</p><p>"I think Killua is sad."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"I don't know. He won't tell any of us."</p><p>He noticed that Killua had been silent since Tech Week had begun. He wasn’t in as an enthusiastic mood as he was before to rehearse alongside his friends. When he was asked about it, his answer concerned Kurapika.</p><p>“I don’t know if my parents are gonna come see me.” Killua confessed shyly, “...during the day of the play.”</p><p>“What?!” Gon asked, “no way! They have to come!”</p><p>“They’re never even home. Nobody’s gonna come. So what’s even the point of me working so hard on this?”</p><p>“It’s because you deserve to be proud of yourself.” Kurapika said. “Whether they do come and see you. You’re doing this to be part of something special. For your own enjoyment.”</p><p>“...Everyone else’s parents and family will come and see them, though. It’s not fair that mine won’t. It doesn’t make me feel proud.”</p><p>“Other families get to see you!” Gon said.</p><p>“What difference does that make?!”</p><p>“It means you’re not gonna be alone! There’s gonna be so many people at the play! And Mr. Kite’s making super cool costumes for us and all these really cool weapons. It’ll be fun, Killua!”</p><p>“I’m nervous, too…” Komugi said. “I’ve never done a play before.”</p><p>Most of them haven’t. Kurapika could see the worry spreading between everyone. “Everyone,” he put on the best motivational voice he could muster, “it’s too late to back down now. Next week, hundreds of people are going to be sitting in these seats expecting to see the best play they’ve ever seen. We have to give it our all or else we’d just be left disappointed for not trying hard enough. All of you have shown great teamwork between each other and rehearsed wonderfully the past week. My doubts have been replaced with hope as each day went on. I’m relying on you to make the rest of us proud.”</p><p>“They’re right, y’know?” Leorio entered the stage.</p><p>“Dad!”</p><p>“Mr. Leorio?”</p><p>“School plays weren’t really my thing, but, if this means a lot to Mr. Kurta, then it should mean a lot to you too.” Leorio said, joining them on the stage. “It’s a big scary world out there. It’s less scary when we’re in it together.”</p><p>“I have an idea.” Kurapika told Killua, “Just trust me. Your parents will see your play.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter.” Killua pouted, “don’t even bother.”</p><p>“It does.”</p><p>“Why?!”</p><p>“Because you’re my students.” Kurapika turned around and faced the stage, the stars in his eyes. They’ve waited all week for this big moment. It’d be the first play he’d taken part of in its production in a long while, so he had no choice but to make it the best damn play Yorknew ever had to offer. “Are we ready?!” he asked loudly.</p><p>Everyone cheered, gathered around Kurapika and Leorio.</p><p>“Osu!” Kurapika pumped his fist in the air. They followed suit, different fists flew in the air, chanting their motivational cheer at the top of their lungs.</p><p>
  <em>“OSU!!!”</em>
</p><p>Three days from now, it was showtime.</p><p><em>Chimera Ant</em> will finally be showcased at Yorknew’s opening night of the new year.</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The surprise art at the end was a commission done by @ddearhunters, which made this all worth the wait!! Kurta-sensei and co. say FIGHT-OH!!!!! </p><p>Thanks to Kat and Adri for allowing me to use their OCs, Vellan, Natasha, and Abdul!!</p><p>Next chapter: School play arc part two &lt;3</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. didn't plan on specializing, but you seem pretty special to me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Kurapika consults Leorio into helping him convince Killua's parents to come and attend the <em>Chimera Ant</em> play opening night.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning for a little bit of sensuality but it's not too heavy.</p><p>When we get to the play scene the characters are going to go by DIFFERENT NAMES, to clear up confusion I'm going to list who is who:</p><p><b>Axil</b>: Killua<br/><b>Skeltos</b>: Gon<br/><b>Keara</b>: Canary<br/><b>Talia</b>: Ponzu<br/><b>Zaria</b>: Komugi<br/><b>Rorik</b>: Meruem (pay close attention to this one hehe)<br/><b>Oribel</b>: Zushi<br/><b>Eiki</b>: Pokkle<br/><b>Azura</b>: Alluka</p><p>Anyone else who hasn't been named are background roles so they don't need as much focus as the others, this is the MAIN cast!!! You won't need to know who's an ant and who's a traveler outside of the group I mentioned LOL it's just for immersion's sake.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>BLOOPER REEL BEGINS IN 3...2...1</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Hi!” Leorio said. “Shit I hope this is the right class. Uh, you’re Mr. <em>Kurta</em>, right?”</p><p>Kurapika nodded slowly, and then he stared at the camera. "Fuck. He's so hot I forgot my line."</p><p>"Thank you!" </p><p><em>"Cut!</em>"</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"</p><p>“We’ve made bets on everyone here. Even me.” Pairo consoled, “we just do it for fun and it’s not really all about the money though Machi might’ve said she’d put a hundred bucks on the table.”</p><p>Kurapika scrubbed down the table, pausing as he looked at his co-worker. “A thousand, you say?"</p><p><em>"A hundred bucks.</em>"</p><p>"God damn it."</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p> </p><p><em>“What was the last case?” </em>Mito asked.</p><p>“Gunshot dick. <em>Whoa</em>, I mean gunshot wound! Gunshot wound!" Leorio shouted as they called for a cut. "Aw man." </p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p> </p><p>“Gon.” Kurapika chided gently. “It’s always important to protect your hands from germs.”</p><p>“Sometimes the other kids want germs too!"</p><p>"CUT!"</p><p>"I mean hand sanitizers." Gon laughed nervously, "not germs! Whoops, sorry! We don't spread germs with other people. That's very bad."</p><p>"It sure is." Kurapika agreed.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“So Shal’s gonna hack into Bisky’s computer later if you wanna find out about the—<em> blegh—</em>" Pairo got all tongue-tied and his line messed up.</p><p>"I sure can't wait to find out what that is." Pakunoda said.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"If I don't come back here... I'm... I'm dead." Everyone started laughing as Kite facepalmed at his own mistake.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"Any updates on Dr. Dad?" Shalnark asked. "Oh no! I'm so sorry!" They laughed at him, "God I meant <em>Dr. Hot Dad</em>."</p><p>"I mean Dr. Dad works too!" Machi giggled.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“That sounds like Ging. I need to check his room if he bought anything home they didn’t buy.” Leorio frowned, "hold on that doesn't sound right."</p><p>"I'm guessing you can totally buy something but not buy it." Kurapika smiled.</p><p>
  <em>"Cut!"</em>
</p><p>Leorio chuckled, "no wonder why that sounded so weird!"</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“How’s that gonna be possible?” Pokkle asked. “The playground isn’t even a house. It’s a playground.”</p><p>“And water is cold." Killua said.</p><p>
  <em>"Wet!"</em>
</p><p>"Oops!"</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"The playground isn't even a house. It's a playground."</p><p>"And water is water."</p><p>
  <em>"Water is wet!"</em>
</p><p>"Oh man!" Killua busted out laughing, "You're totally right!" </p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“That’s the denial stage.” Killua said. “Coochie don't always show symptoms.”</p><p><em>"Cooties</em>!"</p><p>"Sorry!" Killua replied embarrassingly. </p><p>"I sure hope it doesn't!" Leorio cackled. Kurapika walked away, Gon laughing as they prepared to do another take of the scene. </p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“Hey.” Illumi called Killua, sitting on top of the bookshelf. “Stop being bad in school.”</p><p>“No.” Killua answered.</p><p>Illumi looked at Kurapika and shrugged, “well that... clearly didn't work," the two of them started laughing at each other, Illumi covering his face with his hand. The director shouted <em>"cut!" </em>shortly after. </p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"We're gonna go to Walmart and try out food samples." Ging said. He paused for a moment as Kurapika stared at him. "Wait. Walmart doesn't have food samples."</p><p>"Let me know when it does." Kurapika teased.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“The tip ain’t wrong.” Phinks said, “it speaks the truth. It’s like an orca. Wait, fuck," he backtracked, "orcas aren't psychics, they're whales. I'm so sorry."</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“How’s everyone’s YHE day going?” Pairo asked happily.</p><p>Everyone looked at Feitan, who totally forgot his line.</p><p>"I'm sorry." He quickly got up from his chair and walked out of the room while they snickered.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Many prop disasters happen on set. They'd fall while rehearsing and they'd casually go along with it, even though it'd lead to them having to repeat countless retakes with the right props that wouldn't break. Doors breaking when being opened was the most common mishap. </p><p>"Good morning everyone," Kurapika opened the door and it completely broke off, falling to the ground, "and the door seems to broken!" </p><p>"Back to one!"</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Franklin took the coffee from the machine and it casually broke apart. </p><p>"That's not supposed to happen is it?"</p><p>"Cut!"</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Leorio opened the door to his "office," and it broke off its hinges. </p><p>"Somebody better call 911." he joked, "door gone down."</p><p>"Cut!"</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Kurapika turned around to face Leorio too late, and Leorio hit him in the face with a snowball.</p><p>“I deserved that.” Kurapika spit out some ice.</p><p>"Cut!"</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>(back to our regularly scheduled programing: Doctor's Order)</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Chimera Ant </em>was about to debut in two days.</p><p>Kurapika made a promise to Killua he would get his parents to attend. The question was: <em>how on Earth was he supposed to do that</em>?</p><p>“So the kid’s parents aren’t coming,” Pairo said, with a mouth-full of chips, “what’s the problem?”</p><p>Pacing around the living room like a madman he stared at Pairo who was raiding his fucking couch and eating his chips watching <em>RuPaul’s Drag Race </em>on the TV. Kurapika snatched the chips out of his hand.</p><p>“Um, I was eating those.”</p><p>“The problem is I have two days to come up with a plan to convince them!” Kurapika shouted, “I am having a crisis and you’re just sitting there eating <em>Doritos</em>,” he lifted the nearly empty bag of large Doritos he went shopping for <em>yesterday</em>, “and it’s already finished!”</p><p>“Pika, don’t even think about it. Everyone doesn’t talk about the Zoldycks for a reason. They’re people who are not to be fucked with!”</p><p>“They’re still the <em>parents </em>of one of my students and I can’t just ignore the fact that they’re non-existent in their own child’s lives just because of their powerful influence!”</p><p>“If you’re thinking about pissing them off, I’d turn around and run. Fast.”</p><p>Kurapika sighed, sitting down.</p><p>“Can I have my Doritos back?”</p><p>“<em>This isn’t even your Doritos!</em>”</p><p>“Want some?”</p><p>“No—” Kurapika was about to say, <em>at first</em>, and then he opened the bag and shoved his hand inside, sticking two chips into his mouth and munching angrily.</p><p>“Take a breather.” Pairo sat up straight. “Just tell Killua that they couldn’t make it, maybe next time, and it’ll be all fine and dandy.”</p><p>“I already promised him I’d find a way.”</p><p>“They don’t exactly answer phone-calls. They’re practically unreachable. Unless you can ask Illumi.”</p><p>“Yeah I don’t think disturbing his fashion show in God knows which country is ideal.” Kurapika slumped back on the couch cushion, “Also I’d rather willingly get Scurvy than speak to that cunt.”</p><p>“Didn’t you say that Leorio had to drop them off last Halloween because Illumi ditched them or something?” Pairo asked. “You already know where they live, obviously, but you’d also need someone who’s seen the place first-hand. So you like, know what you’re getting into.”</p><p>Kurapika’s eyes widened. He looked at Pairo and placed his hands on his shoulders, shaking him vigorously. “You’re a genius.”</p><p>“Duh! Remember who was both pretty and had the brains in our friendship.”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes, “I can ask Leorio to come with me for protection. That way, they’d take me more seriously instead of me coming there alone.”</p><p>“Or you can just leave it alone and forget about it. People say those guys are mobsters. Y’know, people who kill other people.”</p><p>“And we’ve had many village invaders who have tried to murder my dad for getting them locked up for life.” They were only thirteen when a few men prosecuted for murder within the district vowed that they’d exact revenge against Zoran for punishing them. The whole village locked down and they prepared themselves for battle— it was only six men sent to assault him, but Kurapika refused to allow another Kurta to fall in the hands of sworn enemies. No casualty was suffered during the attacks, but many were severely injured and the community was devastated. “I’m prepared for this.” he promised.</p><p>“If you <em>do</em> end up dying,” Pairo lifted Toodles into his lap, “Can I have her?”</p><p>“Pairo!”</p><p>Pairo pouted.</p><p>“I’m gonna call Leorio,” Kurapika tapped on the call button under his contact name. “<em>Behave</em>.” he pointed at him sternly.</p><p>“When did I ever misbehave?” Pairo asked, eating another Dorito chip. “You know I’m an angel, Pika.”</p><p>“Damn right you aren’t.” Kurapika muttered. He stood up from the couch and shoved the pillow Pairo’s direction, Toodles followed him and ran around his feet while he waited. A few rings and he heard someone pick up on the other line.</p><p>
  <em>“Heeeeello! You’ve reached the Paladiknight residence, Doctor Paladiknight is currently not available!”</em>
</p><p><em>“God damn it.</em>” Kurapika hissed.</p><p><em>“Unless you’re Kurapika, stay on the line. Or else, please leave a message at the beep.</em>”</p><p>“I’ll just have to call ba—” Kurapika froze, frowning. “Hey, wait a second.” he heard Leorio’s bubbly laugh on the other end and sighed heavily, “<em>asshole</em>.”</p><p>
  <em>“Okay admit, I got you good.”</em>
</p><p>“Hello Mr. Leorio,” Kurapika gracefully ignored the cocky statement, “I hope I am not intruding. I must speak to you about something urgent.”</p><p>“Hey Pika, did you ever end up ordering something from that sex toy website I sent you?” Pairo casually asked <em>out loud </em>and Kurapika never ran so fast to smother him with the pillow he was holding. Toodles barked loudly as they started wrestling each other.</p><p>“<em>I am so sorry</em>,” Kurapika breathed out, one hand on the pillow he used to smush against Pairo’s face and the other on his phone while he haphazardly draped across the couch.</p><p><em>“Um,” </em>Leorio coughed, <em>“I-It’s cool. Pairo’s there, huh?”</em></p><p>“He <em>is</em>,” Pairo yanked the pillow away from Kurapika and kicked him off the couch. Kurapika’s phone dropped out of his hand, and he crawled for it quickly— but Toodles picked it up with her mouth and scurried to the kitchen.</p><p>“Toodles!” Kurapika raced after her around the house.</p><p>
  <em>“Helloooooo? You there, Sunshine?”</em>
</p><p>“Just a second!” Kurapika followed her from room to room, circling right back into the living area and Pairo scooped Toodles up— plucking the phone out of her mouth.</p><p>“You forgot this!” Pairo waved the phone in his face like a <em>menace</em>, “Hi Leorio, I’m actually conducting a research on adult toy preferences based on enjoyment and I’d like to ask what your opinion is on bullet vibrator—”</p><p>Kurapika tackled Pairo to the couch, the two scuffling for Kurapika’s phone. “Give me my phone you <em>slut</em>,” he snarled.</p><p><em>“Well I’m not one to use those things </em>on myself<em>, per say,” </em>Dear God the man was on <em>speaker</em>,<em> “but I have used said items on previous partners, if that helps me qualify somehow</em>.”</p><p>Kurapika turned beet red.</p><p>“Well great! You definitely qualify!” Pairo looked at Kurapika, <em>“get a bullet vibrator</em>,” he whispered.</p><p>“Pairo!”</p><p>“I’m just having casual conversation with Leorio and you’re interrupting!”</p><p>Kurapika smacked his arm, “I didn't decide yet on buying one <em>you asshole</em>." Blame him for being picky. "Now <em>give me my phone</em> and stop bothering Leorio.” he repeated icily. Pairo started smacking his hand away, Kurapika trying to pin him down. Toodles kept trying to squeeze herself in-between their brawl.</p><p>“How would you rate massage wands?”</p><p>
  <em>“Probably about a six?”</em>
</p><p>“<em>Mr. Leorio</em>—” Kurapika finally got his phone back and took it off speaker, his shirt— which just consisted of a cropped, plain white tee, all bunched up because of all the fighting. He pulled it down and fixed his drawstring shorts, retreating back to his bedroom, “please ignore his questions, he’s mentally unwell.”</p><p><em>“I didn’t mind it one bit!” </em>Leorio laughed, <em>“Well it kinda threw me off guard, but a few minutes of his time couldn’t hurt.”</em></p><p>“M-Moving on, I need your help.” Kurapika said.</p><p><em>“Does this have to do with what Pairo said earlier? ‘C-Cause, ah, I</em>— <em>well</em>— <em>I don’t mind helpin’ you out. Is it money you want?” </em>his voice dropped an octave at the last question.</p><p>“N-No!” Kurapika denied, a little aggressively, “It’s about something else. Okay listen, this is probably a <em>very </em>bad time.”</p><p>“It is!” Pairo shouted from the living room. Kurapika went back to the living room, grabbed the pillow that had been chucked to the floor and threw it at Pairo, hard.</p><p>“Meet me for coffee tomorrow morning, ten o’clock?” He asked hopingly.</p><p>“You’re blocking the TV!” Pairo exclaimed. Kurapika glared at him. “If you’re gonna have hot phone sex do it where it’s not in front of the TV, thanks!”</p><p><em>“Yeah, ten ‘o clock sounds awesome.” </em>Leorio replied.</p><p>Kurapika moved from the TV. “<em>Great</em>!” he just wanted to end the phone call immediately and jump out the window to his death. “I’m really sorry to disturb your time.”</p><p>
  <em>“You could make it up to me.”</em>
</p><p>“Please, I know you’re frequently busy. The coffee could be on me.”</p><p> </p><p>💋💋💋</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Watcha wearin', Sunshine?”</em>
</p><p>Kurapika nearly dropped his phone. He heard Pairo shouting at the TV and Toodles barking, but he wasn’t butting into their conversation anymore because whatever Kurapika was missing out on was more interesting. He’d just have Pairo tell him what happened later.</p><p>He silently closed the door to his bedroom and locked it.</p><p>"You're very naughty Mr. Leorio." Kurapika collapsed on his bed, "Just a t-shirt and shorts, pretty unsexy."</p><p><em>"Mm..."</em> The deep moan from the other line sent chills down Kurapika's spine, <em>"pretty bad of you to get all worked up while your friend's in the other room."</em></p><p>"W-Who's fault is that?"</p><p>
  <em>"Check your phone."</em>
</p><p>Kurapika's phone dinged. Leorio sent him a photo.</p><p>A shirtless mirror selfie with those <em>damned gray sweats </em>hanging low on his hips, a hand shoved in his pants and offering the perfect tease to get Kurapika worked up. He suddenly wished he weren't at home right now and running his hands down that sculpted chest.</p><p>Kurapika let out a shaky breath. "Fuck."</p><p>
  <em>"I ain't wearin' much either."</em>
</p><p>His fingers idly trailed between his thighs. "I'll have to keep quiet." he flushed, feeling his heart pound and an <em>ache </em>elsewhere staring at Leorio's exquisite photo.</p><p>He heard Leorio chuckle on the other line, <em>"I'd prefer you didn't."</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>💋💋💋</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was a mistake staying up for an extra three hours and binging <em>RuPaul’s Drag Race, </em>because he woke up an hour late past the time he was supposed to meet Leorio.</p><p>To be fair, the man kept him up until later after their… <em>session</em>— he had a voice and he knew how to use it, that’s pretty much all Kurapika could say.</p><p>He’s being cursed for giving into temptation and bad decisions. Kurapika got off the bus and dashed over to the coffee shop, checking his watch. Pairo was dozing off on the couch with the sheets barely draped over his person and Toodles sleeping on his back, beer bottles sprawled all over the floor and the TV turned on low volume.</p><p>Leorio’s checking his watch, two coffees waiting on the table, a muffin and a bagel with cream cheese when Kurapika busted through the doors.</p><p>“Hey!” He grinned brightly, “I was startin’ to worry that maybe I was the one who came too early.”</p><p>“Sorry, it was me.” Kurapika dropped his bag down on the table beside the window and sat down.</p><p>“The bagel’s yours.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Kurapika also didn’t eat breakfast, so he devoured the bagel without thinking twice that he was sitting in front of Leorio. He just smiled, humored at Kurapika’s hunger while he sipped his coffee.</p><p>“Mm,” Kurapika moaned in ecstasy, “what is in this bagel?”</p><p>“Deliciousness.” Leorio replied. Kurapika nodded slowly. “No that’s what the barista actually told me when I asked for a bagel.”</p><p>“Huh.” Kurapika wiped his mouth with a napkin, “so I’m here now. Forget about last night. Last night was a very bad time.”</p><p>“You’re right.” Leorio mumbled, “We shouldn’t have done it on the phone while Gon was asleep.”</p><p>Kurapika flushed, “No!” he said, “<em>well you’re right</em>, that… definitely shouldn’t have happened.”</p><p>“Yeah. You’re so right.” Leorio agreed. “But it was hot.”</p><p>“Leorio. <em>Focus.</em>” That was the second time they had sex in a row, and Kurapika <em>swore </em>to Pairo he didn't initiate it this time because of his stupid horny brain. He really didn't.</p><p>“Sorry, what was the urgent meeting?”</p><p>“So you know how the play is next week, Monday?”</p><p>“I been helping Gon rehearse all weekend, why?”</p><p>“We have an issue.” Kurapika said, “Killua’s upset because his parents won’t come to see him perform during opening night.”</p><p>“Well that sucks.” Leorio frowned, “why?”</p><p>“Well one, we’re talking about the Zoldycks,” Kurapika explained, “and two, Killua is a <em>Zoldyck.” </em></p><p>“And your point is?”</p><p>“We practically had to beg them to come for parent-teacher conference and they sent their <em>butler</em> and their older brother, who is a disaster, on many levels except fashion.” Kurapika emphasized, “bringing Mr. and Mrs. Zoldyck to Yorknew’s opening night for the very first time <em>would mean a lot </em>to Killua.”</p><p>“So what you’re sayin’ is that none of you have actually spoken to their parents.”</p><p>“Gon says they’re busy people, but he hasn’t gotten the chance to ever meet his family either. My bosses are very secretive about who they are. The only person who we’ve properly spoken to directly is Gotoh and Illumi. Tell me that doesn’t sound <em>off </em>to you that relatives who aren’t their actual living and breathing parents have attended a single school event for the amount of time the Zoldyck children have been going to school here.”</p><p>Leorio snorted, “so you’re insisting that we just <em>go to their house </em>and be like <em>hey, come see your kid’s play</em>?”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t miss a beat. “Precisely.”</p><p>Leorio did a spit-take mid-drinking, all over the floor— earning odd looks from the customers seated around them. “<em>We’re doing what?!”</em></p><p>“We’ll go to the Zoldyck residence ourselves and request to speak with Killua’s parents.”</p><p>“You <em>do realize </em>everyone’s scared shitless of these people for a reason. I already have to deal with his kid constantly inflicting me <em>pain </em>almost every single day and now I gotta deal with the people who <em>birthed </em>said demon?!”</p><p>“Leorio—”</p><p>“—Nope!” Leorio shouted, “No! No! No! No way!”</p><p>“You’re the only one who’s driven there!”</p><p>“To drop them off <em>one time </em>and it was already fucking freaky as it was!”</p><p>“I need someone to come with me.”</p><p>“I have to watch Gon this week.” Leorio said.</p><p>“You can’t ask Pietro and Zepile to watch him? Tell Gon he can invite Killua and his siblings over.”</p><p>“Do you have any idea how much furniture they break in a single visit?!” Leorio screeched, “I have a budget for <em>breakages</em>!”</p><p>“Do you want to bring Gon along and have Killua and his siblings sit through serious talk with their parents or have them have fun in your house and make Killua happy for the time-being?”</p><p>Leorio raked his fingers through his hair, “we don’t have to do this, Kurapika.”</p><p>“I made a promise to Killua.” Kurapika refused, “I’d be letting him down if I just gave up. I don’t fear the Zoldycks and I never <em>have</em> so you have no choice in backing out of this. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and your pride’s too much to consider someone else’s happiness? What kind of doctor does that make you?!”</p><p>Leorio waddled a finger in Kurapika's direction, “I didn’t sign up to be nobody’s <em>pediatrician.</em>”</p><p>“Gon signed up to be his friend.” Kurapika justified. “Whatever qualms you have about Killua is understandable, but he is still just a child, a child who wants love from their parents the same way Gon wants love from you. So at least <em>try </em>to care a little and help me out here.” he said, “...I can’t do this alone.”</p><p>Leorio folded his arms. He eyed Kurapika. “When you look at me with that gorgeous face of yours all heartbroken and wrecked I got no choice but to say <em>fuck it</em>. Gah!” Kurapika smiled at the slight flush in Leorio’s cheeks, “<em>of course </em>I give a shit about the kid. He’s Gon’s best friend. By default, I’d have to treat ‘im more like my own, even if he doesn’t even like me. Right? That’s the best a dad can do. So,” he pushed his coffee and finished muffin aside, “what’s the plan, Sunshine?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I was hoping since you agreed to help me, we’d have a ride there.” Kurapika said heatedly, “<em>why are we on a bus</em>?”</p><p>“...So I forgot to mention my car’s in repair.” Leorio said.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“I dropped my glasses under the seat and I couldn’t see the stop sign!” Leorio admitted gruffly.</p><p>“How long did it take you to get there by car?”</p><p>“About half an hour.”</p><p>“Well it takes <em>two hours </em>by bus.”</p><p>“It saves money!”</p><p>Kurapika huffed, being in a crowded bus everyday he was used to enduring during his morning commute— but the ride was so miserably <em>slow </em>and bumpy. There was no direct bus route to the Zoldyck mansion meaning once they got off it was another <em>thirty minute walk </em>from the stop to their destination.</p><p>“Um, excuse me,” Kurapika asked, he and Leorio were the last people to get off the bus, since everyone else wanted to remain in the city and headed off much earlier than they did. “Do you know which directions we have to take to the Zoldyck mansion?”</p><p>“You’re better off hitchin’ a taxi on <em>The Shady Corner</em>,” the bus driver responded, “every few hours or so, a taxi drops by and takes you all the way there.”</p><p>“What’s <em>The Shady Corner</em>?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“The junkyard near the freeway. It’s where sketchy people walk around to do their business. You’re just in luck, driver pulls up around this time ‘a day and not again until eight in the night. Better get walking.” The bus driver tipped his hat, “good luck.”</p><p>He drove off, leaving a trail of smoke that made them hack a few coughs out.</p><p>“You chose the worst time not to drive a car.” Kurapika deadpanned.</p><p>“It’s not my fault.” Leorio hissed. “If you wanna find this damn mansion the old-fashioned way, get walkin’.”</p><p>It took a bit of wandering around the empty street, when they found a junkyard just a few feet away. They didn’t have any service beyond this point, because the Zoldycks lived on private property in a more rural area, the area they lived in was outside of the city. So it definitely meant that calling a rideshare was out of the question anyway because they offered <em>no rides</em> straight to the house itself. It's like the address was nerfed off the fucking map.</p><p>Some guy had walked toward them when they were waiting at the aforementioned <em>Shady Corner</em>. “Hey.”</p><p>Kurapika and Leorio stared at him. “Hello,” they both said cautiously, eyeing his tattered clothing.</p><p>“Headed to the Zoldyck mansion?”</p><p>“Yes, yes we are.” Kurapika answered.</p><p>“Good luck.” The man laughed, and he walked away. His creepy laugh echoed even when he was already far off into the junkyard.</p><p>“Are you sure nothing bad happened when you took them to their house?”</p><p>“No!” Leorio said, “maybe because they were telling me the directions the entire ride there and we didn’t have to go through <em>this</em>—”</p><p>“Shh shh shh!” Kurapika smacked his arm. A car pulled up on the freeway, it looked like a run-down taxi, stopping right in front of where they stood next to a graffiti sprayed sign that was immensely bent over.</p><p>They looked at each other, and after a brief argument of who should go in <em>first</em> Leorio rolled his eyes and opened the car door, pushing Kurapika inside first and taking the passenger seat next to the driver’s side.</p><p>A wrinkly old man wearing a beret, a ripped glove, and a blazer over a plain shirt greeted them both. “Y’all both headed to the mansion?”</p><p>“Yes we are, sir.” Kurapika answered.</p><p>“Can you take us there?” Leorio asked, “the bus stop we got off at was actually a mile away from the mansion, and the only way for us to get there is by this taxi.”</p><p>“A hundred Jenny.” The man answered. “They call me Taco.”</p><p>Leorio turned around. Kurapika gestured for him to pay the driver. He sighed, defeatedly reaching into his wallet and handing over a hundred Jenny to Taco.</p><p>He wordlessly took the money and started the engine, making a complete turn and toward the right route, far past the bus stop.</p><p>“Oh wait,” Leorio pointed at the mountain, “this is where I remember driving when Killua gave me the directions.”</p><p>“So we’re going the right way?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“What business would you two have at the mansion?” Taco questioned, “the only people that take this taxi are people who know ‘em, most tourists don’t make it past the entrance.”</p><p>“I-Is that so…?” Leorio laughed nervously, “maybe they just get scared and go home, right?”</p><p>“Naw!” Taco chuckled, “anyone who gets past the gate never comes back out!”</p><p>Kurapika glanced back at Leorio, “...is there a reason <em>why</em>?”</p><p>“Don’t know. I’m just the taxi driver makin’ a few quick bucks.” He reached under his car seat and pulled out a plastic bag, “anybody want any nuts?”</p><p>Leorio and Kurapika politely declined.</p><p>Taco dropped them off in front of the entrance.</p><p>“Is this it?” Kurapika asked. He couldn’t see anything other than a security booth and a gate, and tall trees surrounding the property. He turned around so he could say thanks to Taco, but he was already gone before he could say anything.</p><p>“It was kinda dark out last time I was here, and they just said they’d take it from there. Pretty sure they just got through the gate once it opened.”</p><p>“Maybe we should check if anyone’s in the booth.”</p><p>They walked toward the booth, Kurapika knocking on the window. A man was in there snoozing away when he was shaken awake. “Hello! Sorry to disturb you.”</p><p>“What the fuck?!” He didn’t look too happy to notice there were guests here, exiting the booth in a rush, “who’re you people?”</p><p>“Forgive me, I should introduce myself.” Kurapika stepped back, “I’m Kurapika Kurta, Killua’s teacher at Yorknew elementary. This is Leorio, the father of Killua’s friend, Gon, whom you may have heard a few things about. He is also a member of the PTA committee.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you.” Leorio scratched the back of his head, “just so you know I was <em>forced </em>to come he—” Kurapika swatted Leorio in the arm.</p><p>“We would like to speak with Mr. and Mrs. Zoldyck about an important matter, if I may? Mister…”</p><p>“<em>Seaquant</em>,” The guard stated gruffly, “Ugh. We got another one. Zebro!” he called for someone else at the back of the booth. Leorio and Kurapika stood there. A bit of shuffling later, another man appeared from behind the booth, an elderly man, much older than the tall, grumpy brunet on shift. “These people came in to visit. One of ‘em’s their teach or somethin’.”</p><p>“Oh!” Zebro perked up, “so you’re not just <em>tourists</em>?”</p><p>“No.” Leorio said, “Kurapika is a teacher and they actually want to speak to Killua’s parents, if they can.”</p><p>“I commend you for comin’ all the way over here, but you gotta go.” Seaquant thumbed at the exit back to the road down the mountain, “no one makes it past this point.”</p><p>“Is it that you don’t allow trespassers?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Well you do realize you gotta get through the gates to actually get <em>inside</em>, right?”</p><p>Neither of them knew what Seaquant meant by that. Zebro laughed.</p><p>“Only the strongest can open these gates!” Zebro said, “that’s why the Zoldycks don’t have visitors!”</p><p>“Counting if they can make it past Mike.” Seaquant added with a smirk. “Mike’s a big tough guy.”</p><p>“Uh.” Leorio blinked, “what gates?”</p><p>“There’s three gates. They weigh pretty heavy, the first being the lightest out of all three! The first’s like a ton, so the next two weigh a ton more than the last one!” Zebro explained, “we also have a guard dog that wards off trespassers. It’s so we maximize security in the most efficient way possible.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Kurapika said, “we have to push open a door that weighs <em>tons</em>?”</p><p>"Are they protecting themselves from an alien invasion or some shit?" Leorio asked, "why're these gates so heavy?! That's like pushin' a small car!"</p><p>"Can't say." Zebro said sincerely. "I already mentioned they're hellbent on not allowing random tourists inside because it's such a nice and fancy property. Even if you're just a visitor stoppin' by, it's a challenge to get in."</p><p>“Yeah.” Seaquant said, holding a can of soda he took from the booth. “You can try if you wanna. Try not to get mauled by Mike and we can phone Gotoh and let him know we got guests here to see Mrs. Kikyo and Mr. Silva. Once you get there, he’d take care of the rest.” he got in the booth and pressed a few buttons, opening the gate that <em>led </em>to the first gate on the path.</p><p>“Good luck.” Zebro smiled. “Now if you need anything, we usually have a button hidden in one of the trees and we’ll reopen the entrance gate.”</p><p>“Does that mean you’ll help us?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“No.” Seaquant said flatly. “It just means you can run back here as fast as you can and hope you don’t get attacked by Mike.”</p><p>That’s how they found themselves in front of the first gate, dumbfounded.</p><p>“So we just,” Leorio pointed at the towering gate in front of them, “get these bad boys open and get to the house from there?”</p><p>“Apparently— but this doesn’t seem very possible,” Kurapika sighed, as he was talking, Leorio casually unbuttoned his shirt and removed it from his shoulders, “maybe there’s another way we can contact the Zoldycks, Gotoh knows me fairly well, I could give him a call and tell him—” he heard a <em>scream </em>and the next second Leorio’s shoving at the door with all his might.</p><p>And then he pushed it right open.</p><p>“Never mind.” Kurapika whispered. Wiping the sweat off his brow, Leorio grinned. His shirt tied around his waist, a broad back, shoulders, and flexing muscles that had Kurapika clutching his bag hanging over his shoulder tighter than usual.</p><p>“One down! Two more to go!”</p><p>Kurapika followed him to the second gate, still unable to process that he was able to push something that weighed <em>this heavily </em>within a few seconds. This man’s strength Kurapika greatly underestimated and it may be the death of him.</p><p>That wasn’t until a large, dark creature, growling and <em>violent</em>— rammed into Leorio before he could get the gates open.</p><p>“Leorio?!” Kurapika rushed over.</p><p>“A little help here!” Leorio cried out, “This guy’s tryin’ to kill me!”</p><p>“Um…” Kurapika crouched down, “over here, Mikey.” he said gently.</p><p>It's a pitbull.</p><p>Mike had stopped scuffling with Leorio, he pounced off Leorio immediately. His ears perked up at the call of his name, turning his head in Kurapika’s direction.</p><p>“That’s it, good boy. We’re just passing by. No need to be scared of us.” Mike slowly prowled over to Kurapika, seemingly smaller in size the closer he approached. He sat down on his haunches instantly, tongue sticking out of his mouth. Kurapika gave his chin tiny scritches, smiling. “it's just a big pitbull, Leorio." he giggled. "Who’s a good boy?” Mike yipped.</p><p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Leorio stood up weakly. “He almost tried to <em>kill me </em>two seconds ago!”</p><p>“My uncle owns a farm my cousin takes care of now,” Kurapika stood up to full-height, ruffling Mike’s head, “taking care of wild animals is no great feat. Are you alright?”</p><p>“I did almost die, so barely.”</p><p>“You’re not dead.” Kurapika joined Leorio, “we have two more gates to go. Can you do it?”</p><p>“I’ll try.” Leorio placed his hands on his knees, catching his breath. Mike followed them up to the second gate. Kurapika kept him at bay, waiting for Leorio to push the doors open— but it took him a little longer.</p><p>“I need you to help me out.” He panted.</p><p>“How?”</p><p>“Act like you’re my weightlifting coach Knuckle and I had who caused us massive pain in college before he had to quit 'cause he broke his rib in an accident.”</p><p>Kurapika thought of something as Leorio started pushing, “come on you piece of shit!”</p><p>Leorio stopped, “I think the bossy attitude is sexy but you might wanna tone it down a little. Motivate me.”</p><p>“Uh, okay,” Kurapika tried again, “you wanna be the strongest man alive?!”</p><p>“<em>Yes I do</em>!”</p><p>“Then make me proud! Come on! You can do it! Show me that you’re worth something! Put your skills to good use!”</p><p>With a final cry, Leorio pushed the doors open. Mike barked happily. They high-fived. “One more to go.” Kurapika said. They ran for the third gate, and this time, Kurapika decided to help him.</p><p>Mike also wedged himself in-between them, and the three of them pushed on Leorio’s count.</p><p>“One, two, three, <em>push!</em>”</p><p>They pushed until the door started to budge. Leorio kept repeating until the doors had cracked open, and then another push— the doors opened completely.</p><p>"Man! Woo!" Leorio bounced on the balls of his feet, "I'm all fired up now. I feel like I can lift mountains!"</p><p>"Slow down there John Cena, stick to those routinely check-ups. You're not debuting for WWE." Kurapika smacked his sweaty bare chest.</p><p>Gotoh was waiting at the mansion’s entrance, hands clasped in front of him. Kurapika and Leorio had looked like they’d been through a gladiator match. Mike dashed over to Gotoh, and Gotoh smiled down at him, digging into his pocket for what seemed to be a treat.</p><p>“Welcome, Mr. Kurta, Mr. Paladiknight.” Gotoh bowed his head. “You have successfully made it through the testing gates. I have informed Mrs. Zoldyck of your visit." Gotoh stared at Leorio, "Sir? Where is your shirt?"</p><p>"Oh." Leorio buttoned his shirt back up, tucking it into his jeans. "Sorry 'bout that. It was gettin' in the way."</p><p>"Now please, come this way.” Gotoh led them through the front doors.</p><p>“You’re telling me that Killua lives <em>here</em>?” Leorio whispered upon taking in the <em>luxe </em>that was the Zoldyck mansion alone, from the garden outdoors to the splendor indoors, lined with unique antique, polished walls, framed photos, and clean floors.</p><p>“I’m just as surprised as you are.” Kurapika answered. The place was <em>huge</em>, and this was where Killua was escorted from every morning. They were led into a smaller room, containing a table and two couches, a fireplace, a photo of Kikyo on the wall. There were other butlers in the home that got them adjusted, offered them refreshments for their <em>journey </em>here which they gladly accepted.</p><p>“Mr. Silva may be running a bit late.” Gotoh announced, “however, Mrs. Kikyo is on her way.”</p><p>“Thank you, Gotoh.” Kurapika said, nursing a cup of tea.</p><p>“This might be the best tea I’ve ever tasted.” Kurapika lightly kicked Leorio in the shin at his comment the moment a woman had walked in. She had a bandage wrapped around her right eye, her left uncovered. She had on a dark, loose-fitted blouse— navy blue, and a long violet skirt buttoned up at the waist. Her hair tied up into a loose bun. She was taken to the couch, letting go of the butler’s hand and waving them away. She was also offered tea as well.</p><p>Leorio’s too busy enjoying the tea to register that they were sitting in her presence, however, Kurapika noticed her instantly. He set down the tea cup he was drinking from on the plate beneath it. “Mrs. Zoldyck,” he smiled, “I believe we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet.”</p><p>“<em>You </em>are the heathen that’s been corrupting my precious son?”</p><p>Ah.</p><p>Kurapika expected this.</p><p>There were the sweet, understanding parents, who were willing to sit down and listen knowing things got <em>this </em>far— and there were those who knew that Kurapika would be nothing but a thorn in their side and wasn’t afraid to show it in his face.</p><p>“Um—” Leorio laughed, “<em>heathen</em>?”</p><p>“Corrupting?” Kurapika asked, just as baffled.</p><p>“And who are you?” Kikyo eyed Leorio down.</p><p>“I’m Kurapika’s colleague, ma’am,” Leorio said, “Killua also knows my son very well.”</p><p>“So not only two of you have been brainwashing my child, but it is you who is responsible for enabling <em>your thing </em>to turn him against me?” Kikyo jeered, “how dare you come into my home?!”</p><p>“Mrs. Zoldyck,” Kurapika talked in his best professional voice, “I understand that you and Killua might have issues at home that have not been discussed—”</p><p>“My son ain’t a <em>thing</em>—” Leorio glared, “—he’s a <em>person</em>, who’s frankly your kid’s whole life! His best friend! The reason why he’s been happy!”</p><p>Kikyo gasped, “since when did my child devote his time to making <em>friends </em>with such vile beings?”</p><p>“Since he knocked some common sense into his brain that it’s okay to make friends!” Leorio answered, “something that you weren’t able to do!”</p><p>“—If you are insisting that I am the reason for his actions, you are<em> wrong.</em>” Kikyo objected hotly, “I treat him with nothing but kindness, and he very much appreciates that. It wasn’t until we put him in school he’s been coming home less and less, talks of this <em>new friend </em>of his. Killua’s never had any friends and he’s never made a single friend. I’m starting to doubt the idea of public schooling instead of keeping him homeschooled.”</p><p>The bruises on his face said otherwise. “He’s much happier when he’s in school, actually,” Kurapika clarified, “and he’s at his best performance when he’s given the right push. He might be stubborn, and cause a lot of trouble, but it is his classmates who coaxed him to open up and I fear that his well-being is of my concern because we don’t know what is truly going on at home.”</p><p>“We do not need to tell anyone about how we are treating our children. They are happy where they are. We have given them everything they could ever ask for, and maybe they can be a little stubborn about it but that’s just how <em>bratty children </em>are when they don’t get what they want. You are being <em>selfish </em>as to insinuate my irresponsibility as a mother.” Kikyo said.</p><p>“Mrs. Zoldyck,” Kurapika said, firm, “with all due respect, I demand that you get your head out of your <em>ass</em> and listen to what we have to say.”</p><p>Kikyo’s face reddened, fuming— but she listened.</p><p>“K-Kurapika—” Leorio gaped, Kurapika sent him a look that said <em>let me handle this</em>.</p><p>“Yorknew is hosting a play tomorrow night. It is our very first play production of the new year, we have worked hard on this play, and your son is going to be involved. All I ask of you, and your husband, is your attendance.” He got down on his knees, gently bowing his head to the ground, palms laid flat against the ground.</p><p>“So, please.” Kurapika pleaded, “a child more than anything wants their parents, whom they love most, to support them and love them back.” he lifted his head. “Give him, give his siblings, his friends, just this much. I’m not asking you to play the good parent, I’m asking you to <em>be a parent</em>.”</p><p>“Kurapika…” Leorio murmured. “God damn it.” he clicked his tongue, and he joined Kurapika on the floor.</p><p>“Leorio.” Kurapika glanced over at him, and he bowed over on his knees.</p><p>“Just the tiniest bit of love from a parent can make a kid’s day.” Leorio added fondly.</p><p>Kikyo’s lips pressed into a thin line.</p><p>“What’s going on?” A deepened voice filtered throughout the room. He was wearing a crisp, black business suit. Luscious, silver hair framed his strong cheekbones and fell mid-back, the butlers standing beside him like that of bodyguards closely shadowing a celebrity.</p><p>“These two have reached past the testing gates and Mike to come speak to you.” Gotoh informed him.</p><p>“They are telling us about some <em>play </em>our children are partaking in.” Kikyo scoffed, “demanding that we attend opening night.”</p><p>“Is that so? Then you must have come a long way. Mikey isn't the friendly type.” Sharp blue eyes gazed over at Leorio and Kurapika. The butlers ducked their heads, excusing themselves to watch silently at the corner of the room. Silva sat down next to Kikyo, bulky arms folded across his chest.</p><p>“Yes, sir.” Kurapika answered. He’d been waiting for this moment for ages, gathering his composure that he was facing both Zoldyck parents in the flesh, for the first time.</p><p>“They never told us about a play.” Silva hummed. “When I had asked Killua if anything interesting was happening, he’d told me it was nothing serious.”</p><p>Kurapika’s eyes widened slightly, “w-well opening night is tomorrow at seven. It’d be wonderful if you were able to attend. Killua is playing one of the lead roles, Canary and Alluka and Nanika as the background roles, and Kalluto will be part of the orchestra.”</p><p>“Silva.” Kikyo looked at him, embarrassed. “Don’t tell me you’re considering—”</p><p>“Do you have a flyer I can look at, perhaps? I can inform my father of this and ask if he can attend, maybe some of our older children as well.” Silva said, “my apologies for running late. I had a business errand to tend to, my name is Silva, and I am their father. It’s a pleasure to meet my son’s teacher who he seems to appreciate so much.”</p><p>“He talks about me?” Kurapika asked, reaching over so he could shake Silva’s hand.</p><p>“Every now and then. I’m not around too often, so lately he’s been giving me the cold shoulder. In fact, I’m glad you told me about this play, Mr. Kurta.” he looked at Leorio, “are you a colleague?”</p><p>“S-Somethin’ like that…” Leorio nervously laughed, shaking his hand too. “I’m Leorio Paladiknight. Nice to meet you, Mr. Zoldyck. <em>Wow</em>, that’s a strong grip you got there chief.”</p><p>“I do have a flyer.” Kikyo silently fumed in her seat while Kurapika reached for his purse. He handed Silva a flyer made by the drama club about <em>Chimera Ant</em>’s debut. “Location, time, and further details are all written in the flyer.”</p><p>“This is nonsensical.” Kikyo muttered. Kurapika smiled sweetly.</p><p>Gotoh escorted Kurapika and Leorio out the premises, offering them a ride to their homes for their troubles. Seaquant and Zebro commended them for their efforts, already night time by the time they finished their discussion with the Zoldycks.</p><p>Leorio said to make a stop once they reached the city to grab a bite.</p><p>Neither of them have eaten since the long trip.</p><p>“You feelin’ ramen?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Absolutely.”</p><p>They barreled into the next ramen shop on the block, ordering separate bowls respectively with side dishes and digging in messily.</p><p>They both moaned in satisfaction.</p><p>“Think we should get back to the kids?” Leorio asked once they were done. <em>Get back to the kids. </em>Almost sounded like they were a family, already. Kurapika lifted his drink, toasting with Leorio.</p><p>“We should.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Dad!” Gon leapt on Leorio the moment they walked through the door. Killua followed closely behind him, pretending that he wasn’t at all psyched to see them. Alluka and Nanika were taken home just about a half hour ago.</p><p>“Ranita!” Leorio grinned, lifting Gon in the air and tossing him playfully before he caught him in his arms again. Kurapika was behind Leorio, watching silently as they both walked into his house. He approached Killua, ruffling his hair, just so he didn’t feel left out.</p><p>“Quit it!”</p><p>Kurapika giggled, “did you miss Leorio?”</p><p>“No way did I miss that stupid old man!” Killua blushed.</p><p>“I missed you too you little brat.” Leorio lowered Gon to the ground, but Gon just ran around him and jumped on his back instead, locking his arms around Leorio’s neck.</p><p>“Killua and I had so much fun today!”</p><p>“World record.” Zepile came from where he was sitting in the living room, “they actually didn’t break anything.”</p><p>“What? Really?!” Leorio asked. He did a scope around the house just in case Zepile was bluffing and he missed something. No spillages, leakage, broken furniture, glass, holes in the wall, tear in the carpet, Nog out of his tank when he shouldn’t be— <em>everything was in place. </em></p><p>“I told them if they were on their best behavior you’d take ‘em to McDonald’s tomorrow morning.” Zepile shrugged. “They were angels.”</p><p>“Take ‘em both?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Can Killua sleepover?” Gon tugged on his hair, “please please please please?!”</p><p>Leorio looked at Kurapika, smiling with a shrug of his shoulders. “Kay, fine. Just because I’m home now doesn’t mean you’re allowed to break stuff. You guys did so good. Say, if you can keep this up for a week, then I can definitely take you guys to Yorknew Fun Fest by the end of the month.”</p><p>“Deal.” Gon and Killua said. Leorio lowered Gon to the ground again. “No runn—” the two boys bolted for the staircase.</p><p>“You owe me.” Zepile beckoned. Leorio handed him a few twenties begrudgingly. Zepile curled his fingers. Leorio gave him another ten. “My man.” he grinned, slipping past the front door. “Kurapika.” he nodded at Kurapika, who gave him a slight wave.</p><p>“Goodbye Mr. Zepile.”</p><p>Leorio stretched his arms, “Phew! What a long day, am I right?”</p><p>“Thank you, for coming along.” Kurapika placed a hand on his arm, “It felt so much safer having you with me.”</p><p>“I had to risk getting mauled by a giant dog for this.” Leorio rolled his shoulders, “but no matter what, we don’t tell either of them about what we did today, okay?” he knew how much this play meant to Kurapika, and how it would mean a lot to Killua for his parents to attend. As Gon’s best friend, he had an obligation to care for the damn kid. Even if he didn’t want to. He admired Kurapika’s dedication— not wanting to be the kind of guy that selfishly cared about himself. There was no reason to protect Gon from Killua anymore, not when Gon looked at Killua like he was the moon.</p><p>“You’re amazing.” Leorio said. “I know I say this a lot, but you stood up to Killua’s scary mom and told her straight. No one would have the balls to come all the way over there and do that.”</p><p>“You came with me.” Kurapika laughed, “don’t give me all the credit! I wouldn’t have pushed those gates open if you weren’t there!”</p><p>“You helped push the third gate.”</p><p>“And Mike.” Kurapika added. They laughed. “I’m just a teacher.”</p><p>“Are you?”</p><p>“What does <em>that </em>mean?”</p><p>“I didn’t realize how much you cared ‘till now, really.” Leorio confessed, “reminds me of how much I fought for Gon. And well, I admire that.”</p><p>Killua was just a troubled kid.</p><p>“Okay.” Kurapika lifted a pinky. “We can pinky-swear on it. To keep it a surprise if they do really show up. My kids do this a lot when they make a promise they’d like to keep.”</p><p>Leorio interlocked their fingers together, tightening their oath. He brought their hands to his lips and kissed the tip of Kurapika’s finger. “I swear it.”</p><p>Kurapika nodded, stepping closer. “Swear it.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gon and Killua peeked their heads from the railing, standing on stools so they could properly see Kurapika and Leorio at the door.</p><p>“How are we gonna hide the fake slime we spilled on my floor?” Gon whispered.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I saw this YouTube video.” Killua said, “it can help us get the slime off before he sees it.”</p><p>“I feel really bad for lying!”</p><p>“It wasn’t like we told Zepile we spilled fake slime on the carpet anyway. He doesn’t care what we’re doing.”</p><p>“Dad said we can’t spill anything for a week if we wanna go to Yorknew Fun Fest.”</p><p>“Relax.” Killua rolled his eyes, “he can’t do anything if he doesn’t know. It’s just avoiding saying the truth so he doesn’t find out.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“When was I ever wrong?”</p><p>“When you said we can make potato juice by putting potatoes inside the blender and then my dad got mad at us for trying to drink it.”</p><p>“That was one time.” Killua pouted.</p><p>“What do you think they’re doing?” Gon asked.</p><p>“I dunno. But it’s bad. He’s trying to charm Mr. Kurta.”</p><p>“What’s <em>charm</em>?”</p><p>“Y’know like, put someone under a cooties spell and make them fall in love with you.”</p><p>“Are they gonna kiss?! Like they almost did when we saw them holding hands?!”</p><p>“Not on my watch. Watch this.” Killua lifted a rubber ball. Gon’s eyes sparkled. He nodded sagely. Killua chucked the rubber ball directly at Leorio’s head, just as the two of them started leaning in for a kiss.</p><p>He fell over with a comical thud.</p><p>“Yeah!” Killua grinned, “got ‘em good!”</p><p>“How did you throw it so far?!”</p><p>“I’m just that awesome.”</p><p>“YOU!” Leorio jabbed a finger their direction, fuming. Kurapika covered his smile with a palm over his mouth.</p><p>“Run.” Killua grabbed Gon’s hand. They jumped off the stools and ran for Gon’s bedroom, slamming the door shut behind them.</p><p>“You little brat!”</p><p>They both snickered.</p><p>“Hey, Killua?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Gon took their pinkies and locked them together. “Pinky-promise.”</p><p>“Pinky-promise what?” Killua blinked.</p><p>“That we’ll always be best friends, forever.”</p><p>Killua blushed, “w-we don’t have to swear on that… you’re already my best friend.” he reminded Gon.</p><p>“Let’s swear on it anyway. In case anything bad happens.” Gon brought Killua’s finger to his lips and kissed it.</p><p>Killua reluctantly did the same. Gon beamed.</p><p><em>I don’t want anything bad to happen to us. </em>Killua thought, <em>not ever… I wish I can stay with you forever, Gon.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Chimera Ant</em>’s debut was tonight.</p><p>Posters plastered up on the walls kept everyone passing by engaged. This would be the play of the year. Tech week had been long over.</p><p>“Think they’re gonna show?” Pairo had asked earlier that morning. Classes were to go on like normal and it was the first day in over two months that they had a regular class schedule.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Kurapika did the best he could. Leorio had morning shift all throughout the week, so he wouldn’t be in the building doing any volunteer guest speaking.</p><p>Pairo could only place a hand on his shoulder, everyone else offering silent consolation. Killua overheard kids excitedly talk about how their families were coming all the way from where they lived, some living far from Yorknew, some living out of the country even— just to see them perform. Gon seemingly noticed this, so he’d talk about other things to take Killua’s mind off the play.</p><p>Kurapika was just as nervous as he was. Silva looked pleased to hear that Killua was starring as a <em>lead </em>in <em>Chimera Ant </em>and said that he’d try his best not to miss it, however, Kikyo hadn’t said anything at all about wanting to attend. Kurapika knew where Killua’s stubbornness took after, for sure. The six hours spent working was fleeting, once it was six o’clock, the doors were open for the families, friends, and guests to arrive. No one told the staff that <em>theatre critics </em>and <em>news reporters </em>would be stopping by to observe the play and ask questions— all because Pariston Hill was the playwright, and he was practically bathing in the spotlight while the rest of them were barely prepared to be questioned on their role in the production. This was the most attention Yorknew’s ever gotten.</p><p>All the performers were rounded up backstage with the stage crew, last-minute lighting and sound checks were made, more for props and design, and the performers had to get dressed quickly and get their makeup done while the auditorium started to fill up row by row. The billboard outside the school was swapped to announce <em>Chimera Ant</em>’s opening night, dozens of cars piled up outside the building. It was more packed than the PTA conference night alone, staff waiting at the door to welcome all the guests and hand them pamphlets and direct them straight to the auditorium.</p><p>Pairo came up to him complaining that they were a mess backstage.The kids were a nervous wreck and before Kurapika could check outside to see who’s here, he had to help motivate them. About three kids threw up, one peed themselves, some had lost their costumes, didn’t know how to put it on correctly, <em>ripped </em>it on accident already and had to be sewn back together by a shitty sewing job, and another complained about wanting to go home and ditch the play entirely. Kite was doing the best he could but he was arguably only one man and the joint makeup and costume design team was struggling greatly trying to ease their nerves and get them to <em>sit in one place. </em>So Kurapika’s assistance was needed immediately.</p><p>Luckily, they managed to get the performers cleaned up in time and motivated to perform again while the stage crew did finishing touches on the set. Kurapika talked them through the script one last time, and everyone wished them good luck, now they had to assemble on stage for the first scene and get themselves ready.</p><p>Killua’s a little nervous, but Gon’s ecstatic, both dressed in their travelers costumes, their sticks, lanterns, and swords ready. Ponzu and Canary were with Komugi, Pokkle, Zushi, Gon, and Killua stuck together with the other travelers, the ants wearing different exotic costumes suited for one living in the forest of a mythical territory.</p><p>Alluka would be tagging along as an extra healer, and Nanika would be one of the ants, the two siblings on opposing sides. Kalluto was well-dressed in a dapper suit for the orchestra, they were the first to be there on standby with their instruments ready. On Melody’s cue they were giving directions on when to start playing, their practice rehearsals over and done with as of the day prior.</p><p>When Kurapika peeked through the curtains his heart rate skyrocketed, he saw Leorio, Pietro, Zepile, Mito, Abe, <em>and even Ging </em>fill the second row to the front. Leorio and Ging fought each other through the double doors, earning looks from other guests as they bolted for the second row. Mito frowning at them, Zepile and Pietro sharing sympathetic glances with each other. Abe simply laughed.</p><p>Mr. Wing was there, Komugi’s parents, Ponzu’s, Pokkle’s, Abdul’s mother, brother, and sister, he recognized a lot of his student’s families he’s seen on different occasions. Silva and Kikyo were nowhere to be seen. Everyone’s still getting ready.</p><p>“See them?” Pairo whispered.</p><p>“No!” Kurapika shouted.</p><p>"Well I do see your boy toy."</p><p>"T-That's great and all," Kurapika watched Leorio and Ging's slap fight over who got the seat first, "but we're keeping an eye out for the Zoldycks."</p><p>“...Maybeee they’re running late?”</p><p>“You were right.” Kurapika sighed. “Maybe pushing gates the weight of three cars open and battling an angry guard dog meant <em>nothing</em>!”</p><p>“You did <em>what</em>?!” Pairo asked.</p><p>“Not important!” Kurapika grabbed Pairo’s shoulders, “They already decided! They’re not coming!”</p><p>“I thought you said his dad said they’d come!”</p><p>“Maybe he changed his mind! I don’t know <em>mafia schedules</em>! Or whatever his job is!”</p><p>“If Pariston’s boyfriend who also just happens to be Gon’s sorta <em>hot </em>long-lost archeologist uncle can show up to his damn play then why can’t Killua’s dad show up?!”</p><p>“...How did you know Ging was Pariston’s boyfriend?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Not important,” Pairo said quickly, “listen, he <em>has </em>to show up. Maybe they’d realize you didn’t come all the way there for no reason and get their heads out of their asses. We got a <em>show </em>to run, Pika. It’s either they come or they don’t.”</p><p>“Okay.” Kurapika nodded. “Alright. Let’s do this.”</p><p>The curtains were drawn. Once the auditorium was filled, the lights were turned off. The performers left backstage, ready for the ensemble to gather together for the very first scene.</p><p>The curtains pulled back and the audience clapped. Kurapika couldn’t help but keep looking toward the audience as the beginning scenes unfolded. The group of travelers were marching through the city after a raid, rejoicing in their accomplishments and the treasure they'd found until a group of robbers had ruined their night while they set camp in a forest.</p><p>"THAT'S MY SON!"</p><p>"THAT'S MY NEPHEW!"</p><p>Leorio and Ging glared at each other. People were looking at the two grown men like they were crazy. Mito smacked them both on their heads and told them to be quiet.</p><p>No sign of Silva or Kikyo yet.</p><p>The play continued on. The next scene, Zaria offered the suspiscious strangers a place to stay because the robbers pretended that they were also travelers from the city they just left— and they needed a warm bed to sleep in. Out of the kindness of her heart, she allowed them to stay with them, and then they demanded that she give them all their belongings. It startled the rest of the group awake, Axil and Skeltos getting into a heated battle with the robbers and sending them away once they emerged victorious. Axil decided that as payback, they’d take the robbers’ treasure from them.</p><p>“We shouldn’t.” Skeltos objected, “it isn’t good for us to steal from others.”</p><p>“They tried to steal from us!” Axil argued, “we should teach them a lesson that way!”</p><p>“They should know by now that stealing won’t always work. Especially from the wrong people. They underestimated how powerful we are.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Zaria wiped her eyes, devastated at the outcome of her actions, “They were so kind to me, I thought that we could trust them.”</p><p>“You don’t trust strangers.” Axil stated harshly, “no one outside of <em>The Hunters </em>shall ever be trusted.”</p><p>“But you don’t know that!” Zaria countered, heartbroken, “what if we turned away people who want help? It’s a big, scary world out there!”</p><p>“...Then you’ll only burden us through our journey.” Axil turned his face away, the pain in his face showed how much it ailed him to even utter such a thing. “This is what gets people hurt.”</p><p>“Axil.” Skeltos protested, but Axil stopped him.</p><p>“We don’t need deadweight coming along with us.”</p><p>“Zaria is our healer!”</p><p>“My beloved sister Azura is also one of our best healers.” Axil replied, “we only need one after all, and our best warriors to protect us.”</p><p>“Axil is right.” Zaria murmured. Everyone had gasped. The sound of fire crackling from the imaginary campfire echoed across the stage of the forest. “I don’t want to bring you guys down any longer.”</p><p>“It’s too late for you to go back home,” Keara, one of their guards had said. “We told you to come with us because we knew that you can heal good.”</p><p>“What good healer am I if I can’t even sense the evil in another good enough?” Zaria asked. “They tricked me with their aura. I thought they were here to do good and no harm to us.”</p><p>“Your sense is what makes you gifted!” Skeltos said, “I brought you along with us for a reason, Zaria.”</p><p>“All of this fighting won’t do us any good.” Oribel intervened. “If Zaria hadn’t been awake to approach them, then they would’ve stolen our stuff and ran away.”</p><p>“Zaria saved us.” Talia told Axil, “you were asleep before you even noticed what was wrong.”</p><p>“And so were the rest of you!” Axil shouted. “You should all be ashamed of yourselves.”</p><p>“But, sir—” Eiki said, but Axil didn’t want to hear anymore.</p><p>“We need rest. We travel tomorrow morning.” Axil told the group to go back to their tents and sleep. Crickets softly heard in the distance.</p><p>“You shouldn’t have said that.” Skeltos muttered. “We were just like them, once.”</p><p>“How so?”</p><p>“We were weak and afraid.”</p><p>“I was never weak and afraid.”</p><p>“It’s okay to admit it.” Skeltos said, “goodnight, Axil.”</p><p>Kurapika was so transfixed at the way each scene unfolded. The mess he thought would take ages to fix turned into such elegance, the heartbreak everyone had experienced when they found out Zaria had left the camp the next morning. The way everyone had blamed Axil for what he had said to her, realizing that Skeltos was right. He blamed her for being so weak and afraid.</p><p>The way he demanded they form a search party, consult more skillful travelers on their journey to help find Zaria. The clue that they found that she was taken by <em>ants</em>— powerful, mythical beings after she accidentally trespassed into their territory. The travelers were hoping to find treasures and fight a few battles, but they were anxious that this one was one they couldn’t win. Axil was angered to hear this.</p><p>“Peeks,” Machi whispered as the play was going on, “you might wanna check the middle row to your left at who just walked in.”</p><p>Kurapika’s attention diverted from the stage, and so did everyone else’s. They bolted from backstage and peeked from the first exit to the front row seats at the auditorium, scanning over and saw a familiar tuft of silver hair seated in the middle row.</p><p>“Check that out.” Pakunoda said, “The whole Zoldyck family just showed up.”</p><p>Phinks whistled, “no cappin’?”</p><p>“No, that’s the Zoldycks alright.” Silva sat down in a blue button-down and slacks, Kikyo donned in a gothic, frilly dress, a mix of red and purple. A large, floral hat nestled atop her head. Illumi was there, in his off-shoulder green sweater, jeans, and boots. Another man who looked like he was college-aged, wore a plain tee with the logo of some game on it and washed-out jeans, a little on the chubbier side.</p><p>Lastly, an elderly man with a long mustache and goatee— he was dressed in traditional robes unlike the rest of his family members, a slouch when he walked and his hands clasped behind his back.</p><p>“Oh my God.” Pairo said, “they’re really here.”</p><p>"So daddy Zoldyck <em>is</em> hot then?" Pakunoda asked. Kurapika looked at his colleagues, baffled.</p><p>"<em>That is not</em>— you guys don't actually think so do you?" All of them scratched their heads and quickly walked away, avoiding the question. </p><p>"Kinda." Pairo agreed.</p><p><em>"Pairo.</em>"</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>Kurapika ignored him. He couldn’t tell the looks on their faces from here, but the way they silently judged the play as it went on was making him a little anxious. The orchestra played in perfect tandem during the musical scenes, and they did a good job at setting the intensity during the battle scenes. Kikyo did appear uncomfortable to be sitting here, especially when the audience was <em>loud</em>— Ging and Leorio shouting everytime Gon appeared in another scene and they had the unfortunate pleasure of sitting three seats behind them. she would turn around and gawk at them, disgusted. Ging's talking to her like this were a movie asking <em>"can you believe that?!</em>" and making loud commentary as if they weren't supposed to be silent.</p><p>“I thought Zaria was our friend!” Axil told everyone when they all decided that they didn’t want to storm the castle. “You were the ones telling me we should get her back, and now you have doubts?!”</p><p>“We’re not powerful enough.” Keara said. “Give it up, Axil. We’ve been tricked by so many people who just want our treasure for themselves and don’t actually want to help us.”</p><p>“That doesn’t mean we should stop trying!”</p><p>“Face it, Axil.” Eiki sighed, “we’re never going to rescue Zaria at this rate. The last people stole our treasure and gave us the wrong directions.”</p><p>“We can only trade so much with what we have left for food.” Talia explained. “In another few days we might go hungry.”</p><p>“What do we do, Skeltos?” Axil asked his closest comrade. “We’re struggling so much because I’m a terrible leader. I’m the reason Zaria went missing.”</p><p>“You care about her.” Skeltos lamented. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have gone this far. If you didn’t care, we would’ve packed up our stuff and gone home. You believe she has the power that we need on this team.”</p><p>“She has gifted abilities, and the ants might take advantage of that.”</p><p>“That’s exactly why we need to get her back.”</p><p>“You’d do a better job leading than I ever will.” Axil murmured. The lighting panned on them specifically, a stretch of silence while Skeltos appeared to be in deep thought.</p><p>“You’re a great leader, Axil.” Skeltos reassured, “they just need you to push them. Make them believe that we, as <em>The Hunters</em>, are great warriors.”</p><p>Axil nodded, and he marched over to the hunters. He thrust his sword in the air.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVcLIfSC4OE"><strong> The drums started rolling in.</strong></a> Kurapika chewed on his fingers, watching the audience looking with interest.</p><p><em>“Let’s get down to business, to defeat the ants!” </em>Axil sang, <em>“did they send me cowards, when I asked, for troops?” </em>everyone ducked their heads in embarrassment, Axil paraded around them, like that of a captain scolding their soldiers.</p><p>
  <em>You’re the saddest bunch I’ve ever met, but you can bet before we’re through. Mister I’ll make a man out of you.” </em>
</p><p>The hunters dispersed then, the practiced choreography executed beautifully once the lighting had extended to the whole ensemble entering the stage. A training montage had begun, and Axil and Skeltos were guiding them through harsh training— through long days and nights. While Skeltos’ teachings were much more tame Axil pushed them past their limits.</p><p>He wouldn’t allow them to rest for too long, had them wake up early in the morning, and endlessly spar with one another for hours. Hold large rocks over their heads and run across the forest, hunted for food when animals passed by and stalked after them. They’d be exhausted once the sun set, but Axil goaded them into practicing more.</p><p>
  <em>You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And you haven't got a clue</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Somehow I'll make a man out of you</em>
</p><p>As the song progressed, so did their motivation to fight against the ants that took Zaria captive. Skeltos was pleased by his friend’s change of heart, and he wanted to sharpen the strength of their group and restore their confidence that they could take on anything that was thrown their way.</p><p>The loudness of the song emphasized the boldness, the sheer power of the hunters, doing cartwheels and backflips across the stage while they sparred with each other— managing to maintain swift formation. Kurapika couldn’t be any more prouder of the ensemble, especially the part where they voiced their insecurities and doubts, but they were the right amount of silly to make the audience laugh while Killua— or Axil— had proudly sang the verses of the song.</p><p>"I forgot my toothbrush this morning."</p><p>"I think I just peed my pants."</p><p>"Hey mom, can you pick me up? I'm scared!"</p><p>"I'm not ready for this! I don't have enough ointments!" </p><p>They scattered across the stage, each of the travelers panicking, and voicing their thoughts aloud. The song continued, harsh drums and violin faded in and out through the transitions. The lights fixated on Axil once more. </p><p>
  <em>Time is racing toward us</em>
</p><p>
  <em>'Til the ants arrive</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heed my every order</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And you might survive</em>
</p><p>He kept knocking them down, impressed when they stood up taller and proud with each strike hoping the blow would keep them down. But they showed immense progression, determination, <em>heart</em>, that they truly cared for Zaria. Slowly, the ensemble had jumped into the chorus and joined Axil while the orchestra put their heart and soul into the crescendo. Axil may have faltered a little when he’d noticed who was sitting there among the guests, their eyes glued to the stage, theatre critics analyzing and scribbling away in their books— the camera crew filming every angle without missing a beat.</p><p>He looked at Kurapika helplessly, the tech crew up on the balcony with their lights sharpened on him.</p><p>Kurapika nodded, giving him a thumbs-up.</p><p>
  <em>Make them proud.</em>
</p><p>They couldn’t afford to mess up now.</p><p>Axil nodded, and he gazed toward the audience confidently.</p><p><em>“We must be swift as the coursing river!” </em>The rest of the cast blended in with the chorus, Skeltos and Axil circled each other, twirling their swords and sparring with each other. The travelers split apart to spar in pairs, then groups, carefully parading around the stage back and forth before coming back together.</p><p>
  <em>“Be a man!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“With all the force of a great typhoon!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Be a man!”</em>
</p><p><em>“With all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon!” </em>Everyone rushed up to the front center of the stage, the flashing, colorful rights followed them eagerly with their every move as they all charged to the very front of the stage and screamed at the top of their lungs, harmoniously, thrusting their weapons out into the audience.</p><p>The music had stopped.</p><p>The audience screamed with their applause.</p><p>“Let’s go save Zaria and defeat the ants!” Axil announced, sword in the air. The hunters screamed in unison, preparing for the grand battle and the final scenes rolling in. This was the climax of the play, where they faced off with the strongest of ants that made up the royal guard and swayed them into joining their side after beating them.</p><p>“Die, die, die, die.” Axil tapped them with his sword, and they all fell to the ground. “Join us.” he said shortly after.</p><p>“How could you be so strong?!”</p><p>“Don’t underestimate the power of <em>The Hunters</em>.” Skeltos said, “if you wish to be as powerful as we are, then you must join us.”</p><p>“Why would we ever do that?! You have harmed our people to come here just to take our queen from us.”</p><p>“She is not your queen.” Axil said, “Zaria is our friend.”</p><p>“The king is enamored by her, and he demanded that she reign alongside him.” One of the guards had told them, “she said that she had nowhere to go because she had been abandoned.”</p><p>“I am aware that we have sent her away out of anger for risking our safety,” Axil explained, “but you have taken away someone who was part of our guild, and we can’t let you have her.”</p><p>“You would have to convince the king, and he refuses to see anyone other than one of us, or the queen herself.”</p><p>“Then you will have to tell the king himself to come and face us.” Skeltos said, “we do not wish to harm anyone any longer, why should we fight because of our differences when we can band together and unite as one? It’s all never-ending and pointless.”</p><p>“Don’t be a fool!” The hunters were scolded by the guards and mocked by them despite being beaten in battle, laughing, “how could the king ever want to harmonize? We built this utopia to keep ourselves protected from anyone else who may harm us.”</p><p>“Then he might have taken Zaria because of her gift.” Talia said. The guards appeared confused. “Zaria struggles with her powers, but she can sense the good and evil in people. If you bring her to us, she can tell us ourselves what she thinks of this war.”</p><p>“The king is willing to sacrifice anything for the queen to be by his side.”</p><p>“Axil! Skeltos! What if he hurts Zaria?!” Oribel asked fearfully.</p><p>“He won’t.” Skeltos said. “The king is in love with Zaria, isn’t he?”</p><p>The guards, shocked, had come to that revelation themselves. “He would never lay a finger on her, but he thinks if we take her back, we’d hurt her.”</p><p>“We need to decide now.” Keara demanded, “more of the king’s army is on their way.”</p><p>“Please.” Axil got down on one knee. “We are sparing your lives because we do not wish to kill. We just want you to understand, Za— the queen— she’s important to us. We can both come to an agreement.”</p><p>Skeltos joined him immediately, and he coaxed all the other hunters to do so. They scrambled forward and knelt down in front of the guards, begging them at once.</p><p><em>“We want to see the queen decide for herself!” </em>They said.</p><p>“You truly wish the queen’s gift will lead to no more bloodshed?”</p><p>The hunters nodded at the guard’s question. They discussed with one another, and decided that they will bring the queen to them.</p><p>The king’s army had assembled just as they left to escort the queen outside of the castle. The hunters drew their swords, ready to face off against the soldiers— here to take them into captivity for trespassing sacred grounds and infiltrating their territory.</p><p>“Wait!”</p><p>Everyone had stopped. The voice belonged to Zaria.</p><p>“Drop your weapons.” she demanded.</p><p>“Zaria!” The hunters were pleased to see that one of their own was brought to them in one piece, her dress swished around her, sparkling and pristine white— beautiful floral embroidery lining at the seams and a bracelet made with flowers and twigs around her wrists, a crown settled at the top of her head.</p><p>“What is the meaning of this?” she asked. They all dropped their weapons, the guards and the soldiers had dropped to their knees out of respect— but the travelers hadn’t, and she realized it was them, despite her eyes being closed— the distress in her face present by the way she’d gasped.</p><p>She approached each of them, sensing their presence and taking it in warily. “Axil, Skeltos, Keara, Talia, Oribel, Eiki…” everyone else had frozen unless she’d given them the next command. “It’s alright,” she told the army of ants, “they are my friends.”</p><p>“But— your majesty—”</p><p>“—they attacked us—”</p><p>“They’re after me.” Zaria answered, wandering the stage— the ensemble had divided on opposite sides of the battlefield with their weapons dropped to their feet. “They aren’t here to hurt me. They are here to take me back.”</p><p>“Is this true?!”</p><p>“Yes.” She turned to Axil, “...why do you want me back now? After you told me I was useless and meant nothing to the guild?”</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Axil apologized, “we’ve come all this way because I made the mistake of allowing my jealousy to get the best of me. I sent you away, and I hadn’t realized how much you meant to our guild until we found you again.” he also knelt, out of respect, “please forgive me… your majesty.”</p><p>The hunters had looked at Axil, sympathizing, and they followed suit. The same way they had when they pleaded for the guards to bring Zaria to them.</p><p>“You may <em>stand.”</em></p><p>Everyone did at once.</p><p>“The king has shown me nothing but kindness since I stumbled here. He spared my life. But there hasn’t been a time where I didn’t think about the kindness you all have shown me before I had left. I don’t want to regret it. But I think that all this fighting will do us no good if we learned how to work together, or else it will never end.”</p><p>A crowd had formed around the hunters and Zaria, even the on-looking inhabitants looking to take refuge from the war outside. Until the crowd had begun to part… and…</p><p>Someone had joined them.</p><p>Someone new.</p><p>Someone they hadn’t seen before.</p><p>He leisurely stepped front center on the stage, a crown bundled with leaves on top of his dark hair, wearing a pair of white pants of the same stitchings that matched the queen’s, flower embroidery, matching jewels around their wrists and sharing the same necklace— the top was a white robe that hung off his bare shoulder. His piercing eyes a dark shade of maroon as he scanned everyone.</p><p>Zaria slipped her hand into Rorik’s.</p><p>“War is all meaningless when you have the people you hold dearest by your side.” His voice was clear when he spoke, resonating within the audience. “For the queen’s wishes, we should put an end to this all.”</p><p>Everyone was so shocked they forgot their lines. The king was here. Standing in front of them. In the flesh.</p><p>The audience had no idea what was going on, but everyone else did. Exchanging puzzled glances as they stared down the king, the lighting lagged a little rushing to follow him in his step.</p><p>"Have we... have we seen this kid before?" Machi asked from where they stood backstage. They looked at the tech crew, Feitan among them, who shrugged.</p><p>"Who the fuck is that?" Phinks asked.</p><p><em>"Shh!" </em>Kurapika silenced him, "that's our<em> king.</em>"</p><p>"<em>The one that didn't exist?!</em>" Pairo whispered loudly.</p><p><em>"Shh!" </em>The others were too immersed in watching to tolerate anyone talking during the dramatic scene.</p><p>"Well he exists <em>now.</em>" Pakunoda said.</p><p>"Tell me I ain't the only one seeing this." Phinks said.</p><p>“Y-Yes your majesty!” The king's army responded, kneeling at his feet.</p><p>“Do you wish to reunite with your friends?” Rorik asked gently, and if the ardor in his eyes were the embodiment of how strong the love they shared for each other was, it’d end all wars in existence.</p><p>“I do.” Zaria faced Rorik, the hesitance in her eyes. “But I don’t want to leave you.”</p><p>“Then you don’t have to.” Axil spoke up, “if we make peace, we should be allowed to come here and stay during our travels.”</p><p>“We shouldn’t step in the way of love.” Skeltos agreed. “It wouldn’t make you any less one of us than one of them.”</p><p>“We are one.” Rorik smiled.</p><p>The ensemble gathered at the stage, joining hands as they bowed. The audience had jumped from their seats and cried in applause.</p><p>"<em>YEAH!" </em>Leorio and Zepile hugged each other, roping Mito into it and she looked like she was suffocating through their cheering. Ging and Leorio were about to hug, and then they glared at each other and cleared their throats, quickly separating. Pietro shook his head.</p><p>From afar, Kurapika could see Silva clapping— however, Kikyo sat there sulking. Illumi wasn’t even there anymore, Kurapika wasn’t exactly sure when he left— though the younger brother and their grandfather were moved by the play as well. A few tears were shed, Gon’s family was probably the loudest, as usual, while their grandmother laughed at them. One of the theatre critics was sobbing up front. The performers shuffled off the stage when the curtains were drawn.</p><p>They gathered around and had their own little celebration backstage. For the first time Bisky didn’t chew their head off but she had tears in her eyes commending them for their astonishing performance. In fact, they were being congratulated by people all-throughout, even after the performers bowed down one last time to the audience— they couldn’t get enough of the play even after it was over.</p><p>They stopped when Kurapika walked in, trying to hold back his own tears. "We've worked hard, everyone. Now it's time for us to get lots of rest," he laughed over all their cheers, among his own students and the other students as well, "it's time to go home now."</p><p>"Get changed first!" Bisky reminded them, "don't go home in your sweaty costumes!" The performers quickly scattered to get changed.</p><p>"Glad that's over with." Kite stretched his arms.</p><p>"I actually had a lot of fun." Melody admitted, "working with all of you. When do we ever get to come together as a team when we're all teaching all the time?"</p><p>Phinks slung an arm around Feitan's shoulder, and he had a rare smile on his face. "To throwin' the best damn play in the whole city!"</p><p>They chorused their bravo together.</p><p>Cheadle had also come in to congratulate them. "I had a lot of hope this play would turn out to be amazing." she said.</p><p>"Aw, Miss Yorkshire. Everyone's already so emotional tonight!" Shalnark teased, and they laughed.</p><p>"I think Silva's still waiting outside." Pairo told Kurapika as they all chatted with each other, leaving backstage.</p><p>Kurapika basked in the audience, the dimmed lights, the closed stage. People were still lingering in the aisle, speaking in their seats, and outside the doors. It was a special night.</p><p>While waiting for Gon and Killua to finish changing, Silva approached Kurapika while the auditorium began to clear out.</p><p>“Oh.” Kurapika didn’t expect to whirl around see Silva standing right behind him. “Hello, Mr. Zoldyck.”</p><p>“Mr. Kurta.”</p><p>“You made it!”</p><p>Some of Kurapika’s co-workers, along with Pairo, are not so subtly eavesdropping while they spoke with some critics and parents watching the play.</p><p>“I did.” Silva had the pamphlet in his hands, turning them behind his back.</p><p>Kurapika swallowed, his heart pounding in his chest. He helped direct this play and bring it to life, and Silva's opinion meant more than the sobbing theatre critics groveling at their feet at the moment. This was his student's parent, and he'd never get a chance like this again in probably a long time. It might be the greatest moment he's encountered since he started this job, blame him for being nearly about to shit his pants.</p><p>“That play was excellent. It’s the greatest I’ve ever seen in ages.” Silva finally said after some time, fondness to his stern voice.</p><p>He heard his co-workers gasp behind him, sharing excited smiles.</p><p>Kurapika gawked silently. “S-Sir— I— I can't thank you enough!"</p><p>His co-workers whooped, overjoyed that Silva enjoyed the performance.</p><p>“—I came with high expectations and I was not disappointed a single bit.” Silva nodded firmly.</p><p>"It's an honor to have your presence here." Kurapika said. "Killua would very much appreciate it."</p><p>"Well I hope he's seen me."</p><p>“Dad?”</p><p>Killua had walked up to him. Gon, Leorio, and the others were quite far off because there was a bit of a swarm up front near the stage.</p><p>“I’ll be waiting outside. This place is suffocating and overcrowded with too many people.” Kikyo walked up to them, clutching her purse tightly to her chest. “Come, Milluki my love.” she looked around, “and where’s Illumi?!”</p><p>“Here.” Illumi came back, phone in hand, barely paying attention to anything else other than his phone screen. Kurapika spotted the dark hickies on his neck and his face recoiled with disgust.</p><p>"Let's go!" Kikyo stormed off. "Gotoh is waiting in the car and I will not stay another second in this filthy place."</p><p>"Ugh, coming! Mom!" Milluki followed her, struggling to catch up to her fast walking.</p><p>“Illumi.” Kurapika glared. He's probably been making out with Hisoka the majority of the fucking play, that's why he was gone for so long.</p><p>“Kurapika.” Illumi didn’t even glance at him before he left to follow his brother and mother.</p><p>“Hello, son.” Silva said. Killua shoved his hands in his pockets, turning away.</p><p>“Didn’t think you’d come.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t have known, if it weren’t for Mr. Kurta.” Kurapika looked to him nervously, smiling as Silva acknowledged him. “They told me you had a play tonight.”</p><p>“I-I did…” Killua pouted, looking down at his feet. “But I doubt you cared, so I didn’t tell you.”</p><p>“Well you were great up there, Kill. You and your friends did an amazing job.” Unlike his mother, Killua's father made up for his absence by attempting to show the little support he could by coming here, and it did wonders. He held the reserved kind of love for his children, while it may not look like it, Kurapika could tell his compassion was genuine. He's a stoic and earnest man and he wasn't afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve a different kind of way.</p><p>“Whatever.”</p><p>Silva placed a hand on Killua’s head, patting it gently. “I’m proud of you.”</p><p>Killua blinked, staring up at his father with wide eyes, sparkling blue as they welled up with tears.</p><p>He hugged his father tightly.</p><p>“Dad!” Alluka and Nanika rushed up to him and hugged him as well. “Did you see us?!” Nanika asked, “did you see us up there?!”</p><p>“I did,” Silva chuckled. Kurapika smiled softly. He almost wished he had that kind of relationship with Zoran, but Pairo's parents were much more welcoming than he was. It's all tough love, but not enough of it. Before Kurapika realized it there was a strong wall built between him and his father, and he wasn't too keen on emotions, only showing strict order toward his only child.</p><p>“You kids have a lot of talent.” Their grandfather commended them. “Even for a children’s play.”</p><p>“I believe we haven’t met?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“I’m Zeno.” Zeno ducked his head in greeting, holding a cane to help him walk. “Their grandfather. I’d admit, Silva had forced me to come see this play and I thought it would be a waste of my time. But I was wrong.” he cackled, “it was actually very enjoyable.”</p><p>“Thank you, sir.”</p><p>“Zeno Zoldyck!” The voice had come from Netero, approaching him. “Wow! I never expected to see you here!”</p><p>“I’m surprised you’re not dead yet.” Zeno teased fondly.</p><p>“Fortunately for you, I’m still alive and kicking.” Netero winked. Kurapika was going to pretend he missed whatever tension he felt between the two old men as they decided to play catch-up.</p><p>“Mr. Kurta!” It’s Gon waving him over.</p><p>Killua tugged on Kurapika’s shirt before he walked away.</p><p>“Thanks.” he muttered. “For telling my dad to come see me.”</p><p>Kurapika noticed how he hadn’t mentioned his mother at all.</p><p>He truly just wanted his father’s approval more than anything in the world.</p><p>He ruffled his hair, smiling. “Great work,” Kurapika said. "Excuse me," he nodded, and ran back to his friends so they could all fist-bump and high-five each other.</p><p>"You did it!" Pairo jumped with Kurapika, "you fucking <em>madman</em>, you got the most powerful people in the city to see our play!"</p><p>"I couldn't do it without help." Kurapika said, gazing longingly at where Leorio stood. Pairo nudged him.</p><p>"We'll be waiting backstage." he winked. "Go talk to your man."</p><p>"He's not my man."</p><p>Kurapika kept being stopped by parents who wanted to speak with him the closer he got to Leorio and the others, simply looking around and wandering in case anyone had wanted to talk.</p><p>Canary was waiting with Kalluto nearby, Kalluto holding their flute case, the two talking idly while Silva doted on his children when Amane had come up to them.</p><p>"That was a beautiful play." Amane complimented. "Your playing was great, Kalluto."</p><p>"Thank you." Kalluto smiled, "Miss Senritsu has been a really good teacher to me."</p><p>"I've been thinking about joining the band."</p><p>"You should. Tryouts are next week."</p><p>Canary played with her hair nervously, looking away. Amane glanced at her, her cheeks reddening a little. </p><p>"You were amazing too, Canary."</p><p>Canary blushed as well, and she smiled. "Thanks, Amane." she stood there, seemingly waiting for something. Amane quickly leaned in and kissed her cheek.</p><p>"There. I promised if the play went well I'd give you a kiss." She huffed, then she turned around to run back to Tsubone. Kalluto smirked at Canary, touching her cheek, dumbfounded. It was adorable. The two of them joining the rest of their siblings.</p><p>Kurapika finally reached Leorio. Mito, Abe, Pietro, and Zepile said they were going to wait outside as they talked about their favorite parts of the play. Gon’s animatedly reenacting his favorite parts.</p><p>"And then me and Killua jumped and did that really cool attack! And <em>whoosh! </em>They all fall down! It felt like I was in an action movie!"</p><p>"I know! It's like watching everything in 3D!" Leorio agreed.</p><p>"I think my favorite part was when they were getting ready to face the ants." Pietro said.</p><p>"Mine too." Zepile agreed, "so badass."</p><p>"Who played the queen?" Mito asked.</p><p>"She's beautiful, and an amazing actress." Abe added.</p><p>"That's my friend Komugi." Gon answered, "she was really awesome!"</p><p>“Catch y'all later.” Ging clapped Leorio on the shoulder, “that play was dope, kiddo,” he did finger-guns at Gon and he casually strolled off. Most likely where the theatre critics were being sweet-talked by Pariston the second he saw him in view.</p><p>"Hey, you!" Leorio strolled up to Kurapika like he'd been looking for him, the way he was visibly happy to see him filled Kurapika's stomach with butterflies.</p><p>“He knew you guys were coming to see the play tonight?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“We’re friends on Facebook.” Leorio muttered. “He wanted to come and I tried to lie and say we didn’t have room in the car but Gon wanted him to tag along, so he came with us.”</p><p>“Isn’t that— against court order—”</p><p>“—let’s not speak of it.” Leorio said quickly, “so! Awesome play!”</p><p>“Thank you. I could tell how much you enjoyed it from the way you were screaming back there.”</p><p>“Yeah! I was so psyched my little frog starring in his very own play! As the lead too!” Leorio playfully gave Gon a noogie while the boy beamed. “Oh, one thing.”</p><p>“What?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“...Who was that kid at the end of the play we saw?”</p><p>Kurapika froze. “The king.”</p><p>He almost forgot about Meruem.</p><p>Kurapika didn't see him again after all the performers disappeared backstage, but Komugi had thanked Kurapika for allowing him to star in the play, and she thanked everyone else for being so kind to him. He appreciated it.</p><p>“That’s our friend Meruem!” Gon answered for him.</p><p>“Is that so? ‘Cause I never seen him before.” Leorio said. “Weird! Maybe I didn’t get to know all your students too well.”</p><p>“He’s Komugi’s imaginary friend, actually.”</p><p>“He’s <em>what</em>.”</p><p>“I’m glad you enjoyed the play!” Kurapika placed his hands on Gon’s shoulders, guiding him back to Leorio, the look in his eyes said <em>believe me, it’s very hard to believe for all of us</em>— but these kids were the most peculiar set of kids he’s never encountered yet, and if somehow a play had the power to bring someone invisible to life then he’s not sure who’s the one going insane here.</p><p>They had to clean up and close down before they left, so goodbyes were given when the guests slowly filed out of the school building— getting into their cars to drive away.</p><p>“We’re gonna go have dinner to celebrate,” Leorio stayed behind while Mito had left with Gon. Of course, Ging didn’t leave with them— though Kurapika’s pretty sure he left with Pariston a few moments ago while no one was paying attention. “Sure you guys don’t need any help?”</p><p>“We can take it from here.”</p><p>“It’d… really be nice if…” Leorio scratched the back of his head, “if you and I— well— I haven’t been able to take you out on a… proper date since we met—”</p><p>“Would you like to go on a date with me, Mr. Leorio?”</p><p>Leorio blushed furiously at Kurapika’s coy smile, “We can just! I dunno, hang out, don’t gotta be a <em>date </em>date, I just really liked the time we spent at that ramen place because it was just the two of us— no one around to interrupt us or anything like that. Just hangin’—”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Oh.” Leorio laughed, “cool. Cool. Great. I’ll— I’ll call you—?”</p><p>“I’d like that.” Kurapika nodded, “have a good dinner, Mr. Leorio. And thank you again for coming tonight.”</p><p>“Yeah. You too. I mean— <em>gah</em>—” Kurapika giggled, “—not you too, I’m not inviting you to dinner with us. But, happy, er— closing. I gotta go.” Leorio quickly turned around and headed down the stairs for his car.</p><p>“Bye!” Kurapika waved again. Leorio turned around, waving as well. He accidentally turned face first into the gates and swore loudly.</p><p>“I’m fine!” He shouted. Kurapika waved again awkwardly.</p><p>“Well, my job here is done.” He said to himself. He’s turning around to walk back into the school when it hit him.</p><p>“Oh my God.” Kurapika whispered.</p><p>
  <em>Did I just agree to go on a date with Leorio?</em>
</p><p>He ignored Pairo’s smirk when he met up with the others.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gon was playing on his iPad when he received a video call from Killua.</p><p><em>“Hey, what’s up?”</em> Killua’s face appeared on the phone screen, chewing on a sour power straw.</p><p>“Bored.” Gon said. “I’m at Mito’s. Dad dropped me off here because he said he has somewhere <em>important </em>to be tomorrow. He’s ditching me.”</p><p>“Huh. Did he say where?”</p><p>“No, I don’t think so.”</p><p>“That doesn’t sound fishy to you?”</p><p>“Not really… I guess… it’s not work stuff, so I dunno what it is.”</p><p>“What if he’s getting abducted by aliens? Would you just sit by and let it happen?”</p><p>“No! Never!”</p><p>“He could be leaving to talk to some other chick or something. Spread his stupid cooties around.”</p><p>“A chicken?”</p><p>“No,” Killua groaned, “another <em>girl</em> or whatever. Your dad’s pretty popular with the moms at school. If we catch him in the act then we can tell Mr. Kurta they’re safe.”</p><p>The last time Leorio brought a woman home was over a year ago, if Gon could remember. She wasn’t around for long. Probably for like three weeks they hung out before Leorio said that she wouldn’t be coming back. Gon just shrugged it off and assumed they didn’t like hanging out with each other.</p><p>“Well, do you got anything better to do tomorrow?” Killua asked him.</p><p>“Nah. You?” Gon asked.</p><p>“No.” Killua swallowed the sour power straw, “hey. Gon. Wanna follow him?”</p><p>Gon blinked, “how so?”</p><p>“I have my ways.” Killua smirked, “you, Mito and me can go follow him and see what he’s <em>really </em>up to.”</p><p>Gon instantly agreed to this without question. “Sounds cool!”</p><p>He was extremely curious now. Was his dad hanging out with someone else that wasn't Mr. Kurta behind their backs?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*Imagining Feel Your Breeze by V6 starts playing right after the play ends like the end of a Gokusen episode* </p><p>Assassin or not, silva's a pretty neat dad but fuck kikyo tho lmao. we need a bit of good dad silva, sue me.</p><p>I ran a poll on my twit for the song they should sing for the school play and if I should do a little "behind the scenes" bit for fun, and I'll Make a Man Out of You and the blooper reel won so! Ask and you shall receive! I hope the play did justice, I changed around the lyrics so it obviously made sense with the story. I've NEVER written a play scene before but I did my best.</p><p>LOL SO ABOUT THE TESTING GATES... YEAH THEY STILL EXIST IN THIS AU, just slightly less heavy KSNKSNKJDNJSKNDJSN. imagine the zoldycks live a little closer while remaining just a tad bit outside the city in their fancy ass mansion, extremely rich private property and there isn't a single fucking house in site cuz its on a mountain, anything goes in this fucking universe okay. the family does some shady ass shit aksnjfknjkg no one would wanna ever go there in person and can't get in and i think that'd be super funny you have to be chuck norris to open these gates and leorio basically did. this also means killua probably opens the gates for his sisters on a reg basis. just zoldyck things &lt;3</p><p>Next chapter: first date??????? or is it?????</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. when there is a pulse; there is a chance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Killua and Gon embark on a Cooties Prevention mission, Kurapika and Leorio deal with the aftermath of a disasterous date, which turns out to be very much worth it in the end but Kurapika encounters a secret which raises more questions about the doctor's hidden past. Meanwhile, Yorknew prepares for a school trip.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello.</p><p>The overarching plot begins to show itself right about... now.</p><p>Gratuitous sexual content ahead, if you see this "💋" skip ahead until you see it again for the end of the explicit sex sequences!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They had a karaoke night to celebrate ending one of the most stressful six weeks of their lives. Kurapika enjoyed watching his co-workers sing a few songs, like the phenomenal performance of <em>Livin' on a Prayer </em>Phinks and Feitan did, the sultry performance Pakunoda did of <em>Toxic </em>that made Machi nearly pass out in her chair, Shalnark and Pairo singing <em>Wannabe </em>which was probably the song of the night.</p><p>Then they threw the microphone at Kurapika and he had no choice but to get up there alone and come up with a song to sing that would too, resonate with the audience. So he boldly chose <em>What's Up? </em>And to say the least, everyone ended up enjoying it. Things were also easier to do when <em>drunk, </em>because someone had given Leorio a spare microphone and he joined in casually, approaching Kurapika on stage and grinning wide. It made Kurapika less nervous to sing now that he was part of a <em>duet</em>.</p><p>He wanted to allow himself to unwind tonight. He deserved that much, from having to work up the courage to win Silva and Kikyo over in his favor and a successful play theatre critics couldn't stop publishing nonstop papers about.</p><p>What <em>no one </em>expected however, was to see two familiar elderly men walk in dressed down in casual clothes with their arms wrapped around each other, crashing the party.</p><p>Who happened to be their boss, Isaac Netero, and Zeno Zoldyck.</p><p>They were on a date.</p><p>The karaoke night froze instantly.</p><p>"Fancy to see my favorite teachers here!" Netero beamed, not even unfazed at all at what this <em>looked like </em>to everyone else, "Can I join?"</p><p>"Uh..." everyone didn't have the mental capacity to form a proper response.</p><p>Leorio came back to the bar with trays of chicken tenders, "I got the food!" he chirped, and saw the distraught looks on the party's faces. "What I miss." he deadpanned.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika didn't know he'd end up adding <em>Saw Their Boss Sing Call Me Maybe</em> at a crowded Chili's during karaoke night on the ever-growing list of many surprise scandals he's encountered working at this job.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Hey, check this out. I was doing some digging around since I supervise the school's Newspaper Club," Shalnark said one day in the staff room.</p><p>"Did word that our principal <em>fucks </em>get out?" Phinks joked.</p><p>"Please, don't ever say that again." Pakunoda sighed, "I want to gag thinkin' about it. He's a cool dude, but God, no."</p><p>"At least you found out long after I put two and two together." Kurapika snorted, "and I wish I didn't know, either."</p><p>"The Zoldycks are part of one scandal or another eh?" Pairo asked. </p><p>"This is something different," Shalnark replied, "they said about four years ago a kid died in an accident. It was a kid who used to go here."</p><p>"What accident?" Shizuku asked, and everyone left their chairs to look at the newspaper article he snagged from the classroom.</p><p>"Car accident."</p><p>"Who was it?" Feitan asked.</p><p>"Don't know. Just a nameless child. But they died near this school."</p><p>"We never heard of this." Machi said.</p><p>"It did happen four years ago..." Shizuku reasoned, "maybe everyone just forgot about it?"</p><p>"Spooky." Pakunoda took the newspaper, "at least every school's probably a little haunted if one person was reported to die by here in a tragic accident," she rolled up the newspaper and swatted Shalnark in the head.</p><p>"Ow!"</p><p>"Not your ordinary juicy gossip." Nobunaga whistled.</p><p>Kurapika didn't forget about it.</p><p>He remembered how Komugi claimed she made friends with Meruem shortly after she started going to school here, weird enough, <em>only </em>when she started going to school here. Her parents mentioned they never heard a word about an imaginary friend before she turned five.</p><p>"Something wrong, Pika?" Pairo noticed Kurapika heavily contemplating.</p><p>"Nothing." Kurapika walked away.</p><p>
  <em>Interesting.</em>
</p><p>It made sense now.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you think it’s a little weird that you both have known each other for… six months now, and you don’t have a clue about the kid’s mom?”</p><p>“Isn’t that a good thing?” Kurapika asked, “it’s none of my business.”</p><p>“That one’s mine!” Pairo pointed at the takeout box Kurapika pulled out of the bags, which <em>he </em>held on the way up to Kurapika’s place. They had stopped for takeout after yoga lessons as a late afternoon lunch break. Kurapika handed it over. “And I think if anything, you should know his relationship history <em>before </em>you get serious.”</p><p>“We’re not getting serious.”</p><p>“You’re going on a <em>date </em>this weekend.”</p><p>“It doesn’t have to be called <em>that</em>,” They sat down at the kitchen table, fetching their chopsticks and digging in, “it was his idea. That we just. <em>Hang out</em>.”</p><p>“The guy you kissed and had sex with more than once.”</p><p>“So we might have had a few casual encounters!” Kurapika confessed, they're doing things completely fuckshit <em>backwards</em> and he didn't have to be told <em>twice</em>, “we’re just making up for lost time we could’ve used that for to actually get to know each other better. I’ve been thinking about what you said, I should stop thinking so much and just go ahead with it. See how it goes?”</p><p>“Well that’s perfect! ‘Cause now you can go home with him and do some snooping!” Pairo snapped his fingers. “My best guess is… an oh-so breathtaking romance while vacationing and then they realized it couldn’t work, so they split apart.”</p><p>“Are we still on the topic of me finding out if he had a mistress?”</p><p>“Could be a husband.” Pairo leaned in, “...or it could <em>still </em>be. How crazy would that be?”</p><p>“He’s not two-timing me.” Kurapika laughed, “or else he wouldn’t have asked me to have dinner with him.”</p><p>“As far as you know.” Pairo already poured himself a glass of wine and leaned back, “just sayin’, there’s a lot more to Mr. Hot Dad than just his kid and his money. Something’s missing.”</p><p>“It doesn’t feel right to do that.” Kurapika sighed. He was curious, he’d admit. He questioned if he’d ever end up running into an ex-lover through Gon one day and it’d turn out there’s even <em>more </em>in the picture. It’s not that Leorio didn’t tell him enough about his personal life, between seeing each other in the same building and so little time to do so outside of work— he hadn’t once mentioned anything specific about previous partners (his sexual escapades he revealed to Pairo didn’t count) “Plus I asked once directly and it didn’t exactly go anywhere.”</p><p>Pairo arched a brow. “When?”</p><p>“When you guys deliberately ditched before tech week at Knuckle’s and left me stuck with him? We talked for a bit, and I asked him about a spouse I didn’t know about, or like, a partner, and he was kind of evasive about it.”</p><p>“There we go.” Pairo said, “that’s the killer.”</p><p>“To be fair it was an <em>invasive </em>question.”</p><p>“To be fair, he could’ve just answered the question.”</p><p>“He barely even knows anything about <em>me</em>.” Kurapika said, “who am I to interrogate him so suddenly?”</p><p>“I dunno ‘cause it’s the first time you were serious with anyone since Dara!”</p><p>Kurapika recoiled. Pairo pushed them to get together in high school because they were friends and all in the same theatre class together, then again, every relationship Kurapika acknowledged getting into was solely because Pairo wanted him to be happy. Kurapika didn’t want his best friend feeling bad he had to be dragged along through Kurapika’s stale relationships that went nowhere so he tried to make something work with the cute soccer player that just so happened to share a theatre class with him, college rolled around and they broke it off mutually because they thought they had better things to focus on.</p><p>And then they met up a few years later to hookup and Kurapika instantly regretted that decision. He woke up in his high school sweetheart’s bed feeling <em>terrible</em> than empty when he responded to that text message that Dara was in town and wanted to see Kurapika.</p><p>“I feel like you’re still on the fence on putting yourself out there and you’re just using Gon as an excuse.” Pairo was definitely correct.</p><p>“I am<em> not.</em>” Kurapika bluffed, “also, this is completely justified. I’d put my job at risk for having romantic relations with a student’s parent.”</p><p>“And half of our co-workers are fucking each other,” Pairo said, “including our principal! Our principal fucks!"</p><p>"Stop!" Kurapika covered his ears, "I'm pretending to not acknowledge it!"</p><p>"Our vice principals fuck! Our faculty supervisors are <em>DEFINITELY </em>fucking,<em> everyone is fucking</em> Kurapika. They are terribly <em>unsecretive</em> about it. Except me, of course. I'm a pure angel who would never do such a thing because I don't <em>fuck </em>and I never <em>will</em> fuck, ever. The Lord is my savior."</p><p>“Look it doesn't matter your point! It's still not allowed! And unethical! Leorio’s very important to the school too!"</p><p>“Do you like him or not?!”</p><p>“I do!” Kurapika confessed, “<em>that’s why I don’t know why I agreed to go on this date</em>! I don’t know if I’m ready yet!”</p><p>“What does your heart say?” Pairo asked. He left that answer up to Kurapika’s interpretation, picking up his finished food to throw away, “when you’re done getting over yourself, or whatever, go on that damn date already.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I asked Milluki to hack into his phone,” Killua whispered to Gon.</p><p>Staying at Mito’s for the week had its benefits. Leorio wouldn’t suspect Gon for wanting to <em>tag along </em>on his <em>important </em>thing he had to attend to. On the downside, they couldn’t just go out whenever they wanted— and they needed a scapegoat, or alternatively— a parental guardian that could escort them somewhere without being questioned where their parents are. They had the location locked down. They just needed to get there. Since Milluki was an asshole, it took ten bucks to take about a minute to track Leorio’s location down.</p><p>It wasn’t some upscale restaurant either. It looked like an ordinary diner that a family would go to on some special weekend occasion. Gon complained that he and Killua were hungry and Mito asked if they wanted to go out or order in, they said that they wanted to go out and told her exactly where.</p><p>“How’d you do that?” Gon asked.</p><p>“Milluki’s a computer nerd. That’s what he goes to college for. Nerd stuff.” Killua handed him a pair of binoculars, “he also said I could borrow these for an extra ten bucks.”</p><p>Gon never laid his eyes on the real set of binoculars before. Leorio’s stocked up on hundreds of toy collections which contained “spy” toys but they weren’t remotely close to the real thing.</p><p>“I got you these.” Killua smirked, holding up a matching pair.</p><p>"These are so cool!"</p><p>"So we need to focus on the plan." Luckily Killua came prepared. "Leorio isn't here yet, he's still on his way. We find out if he's going on a date with someone else and catch him in the act."</p><p>"Can we still eat?"</p><p>"Yeah sure we can but we need to keep an eye on the target."</p><p>Mito wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. "I didn't think it'd be so crowded." She said, "there's a line."</p><p>"Aw. Does that mean we can't eat?" Gon asked.</p><p>"No, it just means we have to wait. Mom mentioned that this place gets busy around this time of night."</p><p>"There they are." Killua nudged Gon. A Mercedes pulled up, a dark blue one at that, looks like he got a new car. The doors lifted open, and Leorio emerged from the car. He's dressed in a dapper black button-down to match his dark slacks and dress shoes. He walked around the car, Gon and Killua quickly put on their binoculars while Mito kept her eyes sharply on the moving line.</p><p>He offered a hand. Another hand took Leorio's, a wedged shoe with an anklet emerged from the door and landed on the concrete. Gon and Killua swallowed thickly, a drop of sweat beading down their foreheads.</p><p>Blond hair. A sparkling red diamond earring, leather jacket, red sundress, black wedge sandals. Gold bangles and silver chain rings that matched their chain necklace.</p><p>"Oh it's just Mr. Kurta!" Gon said. This wasn't the same professionally dressed Mr. Kurta. This was a casual Mr. Kurta they were seeing outside of school. The kind of casual that Killua would sometimes see Illumi get all glammed up for and kick Killua out of his room when he's getting ready for his <em>play-dates</em> with Hisoka. Killua's not stupid. He knew they weren't going out to <em>play</em> when adults didn't do that. They did grown-up stuff Killua once found out about when he typed in a few explicit words on a Google search Alluka and Nanika once found him looking up one day out of curiosity and until this day Milluki won't tell them what a <em>boob</em> is.</p><p>Killua was hoping this wasn't the case. A <em>grown-up</em> play-date, that is.</p><p>Unfortunately Gon didn't know many of these things. Cooties between grown-ups were worse than cooties between kids. Illumi said if Killua's not careful then he'd give his own cooties Hisoka gave to him to Killua and he's been paranoid ever since.</p><p>"Still bad." He told Gon, "this is his chance to spread his cooties. Let's follow them."</p><p>They actually walked right into the diner, past the long line without waiting in line.</p><p>"Aw man." Gon frowned as they lowered their binoculars, "how can we see them now?"</p><p>"We're getting closer." Killua whispered. Another agonizing ten minutes later, they were granted access into the diner. People were leaving so that the staff could allow more guests into the building. Mito grumbled at how ridiculous this was, handling getting them seats. Luckily their table was a few tables away from Mr. Kurta and Leorio's.</p><p>Killua pulled out a slingshot and a zip lock bag filled with large walnuts. He grinned at Gon, "cooties protection goods."</p><p>"What do you think they're doing?"</p><p>"I dunno, but look at him." Killua sneered. Pulling Mr. Kurta's chair back for them and offering to take their jacket off, walking around to sit down across from him. "He knows what he's doing. Spreading his icky disease around."</p><p>"Mr. Kurta doesn't look in danger."</p><p>"That's because they don't know it!" Killua hissed, "that's how brainwashing works."</p><p>Mito eyed the both of them as she took her own jacket off, laughing, "what are you boys up to this time?" She asked, arching a brow.</p><p>"Nothing auntie!" Both Killua and Gon said angelically, with equally pristine smiles that would make any stoic parent melt instantly.</p><p>"We can order now." Mito passed them menus, "don't order the whole menu now. I can only pay for so much with appetites like yours."</p><p>"Okay!" They both chirped. The waitress came back to their table and they asked for orange juice and apple juice, Gon and Killua respectively, and Mito had asked for some classy wine drink they didn't know the name of. Then they got chicken tenders with fries together so they could share.</p><p>Mito still needed a bit more time looking over the menu, so the two boys kept their eyes peeled on Mr. Kurta and Leorio.</p><p>Leorio was making them laugh, like, a lot.</p><p>"It's going bad." Killua told Gon. He got his slingshot ready, "time to commence plan B in Cooties Prevention."</p><p>Just as the waiter walked up to their table, Killua released the slingshot.</p><p>The walnut was sent flying into the tray that held their drinks and shattered the glass into pieces.</p><p>"Did you get it?!" Gon asked, a few gasps and heads turned to the waiter at the commotion, the glass had spilled over Mr. Kurta and Leorio as they pushed back from their chairs.</p><p>"Quick." Killua tugged his beanie down, and Gon hid his head behind Mito's menu. She looked up.</p><p>"Did something happen?"</p><p>"No!" Gon kept her from turning around. The waiter was furiously apologizing to Mr. Kurta and Leorio, offering to get them refills quickly and rushing off.</p><p>A couple other bus boys rushed over to clean up the mess on the floor quickly.</p><p>Gon, Killua, and Mito got their food shortly after. It proved a great distraction for Mito as she started eating, and Gon and Killua waited for the employees to finish cleaning the mess to leave.</p><p>"Let’s try again." Killua said, swallowing a chicken tender.</p><p>"Oka." Gon replied, mouth full.</p><p>Killua got the slingshot ready. Leorio stood up to wipe himself off, Mr. Kurta offered to help him and another walnut was sent hurtling straight to his groin.</p><p>"Jackpot!" Killua said. Mito looked up at them and they smiled at her, eating more of their chicken tenders.</p><p>"How's the food?" She asked.</p><p>"Good!" They replied eagerly.</p><p>"Um, excuse me," another woman dressed in a black cocktail dress and red hair approached their table, "I don't mean to intrude on your family time."</p><p>"O-Oh," Mito looked shy suddenly, tucking a stand of hair behind her ear, "you're not at all. I'm just taking my nephew and his friend to eat here because they were complaining about being hungry."</p><p>"I just couldn't help but notice what a beautiful woman like you could be doing eating here with two lovely children and no one else in the picture."</p><p>Killua and Gon looked at each other, then at the pretty woman making Mito blush.</p><p>"Um…" Mito giggled, "I'm not waiting for anyone. More like these two troublemakers are my dates."</p><p>"I'm Leila." Leila extended a hand, "and who might the name be of the gorgeous woman I happen to take an interest in on this fine night I'm dining alone myself?"</p><p>"Mito." Mito took her hand and shook it, smiling bashfully. "M-Mito Freecs…"</p><p>"Would you mind if I accompanied you three?"</p><p>"Nah." Killua shrugged. Binoculars back up, he spied on his teacher and Gon's father intently.</p><p>Leila didn't seem to be puzzled by their strange behavior. She took the empty seat next to Mito and sat next to her. Mito looked like she was about to explode.</p><p>"Hi, I'm Gon!" Gon introduced himself, "Mito's my aunt. And this is my best friend Killua."</p><p>"Nice to meet you Gon." Leila chuckled, "you are quite the adorable one. I'm Leila."</p><p>"Do you like my auntie?"</p><p>Mito choked on her drink.</p><p>Leila's eyes widened and she giggled. "Well… I'll be honest with you, I do. I find her very beautiful and I would like to get to know her."</p><p>"Oh." Mito laughed, patting her chest. "T-Thank you… ma'am—"</p><p>"Please call me Leila." Leila smirked, "so, tell me about yourself. Miss Freecs."</p><p>"Alright." Killua pulled another walnut back on his slingshot, "coast is clear."</p><p>He shot the slingshot right at their table, knocking over their glasses and plates.</p><p>"Jackpot!"</p><p>A bit of sauce had flown on Leorio's shirt, Mr. Kurta struggled to wipe it off, the two stopping to look each other in the eyes and laugh, embarrassed.</p><p>Leila was sweet-talking Mito the entire time to notice their conspiring to interfere with Leorio's <em>date </em>with Mr. Kurta. So far, it seemed to be working. They would hide their faces every now and then to avoid being detected, even going as far as to climb under the dining table.</p><p>"As long as they don't kiss then we're succeeding." Killua told Gon.</p><p>"I haven't seen them kiss at all."</p><p>"Good. It means we have to keep trying."</p><p>"You work for the government?" Mito asked. "Wow, that's amazing. I just run a daycare."</p><p>"And I find that fascinating." Leila said, "it suits you."</p><p>"Really? I never had anyone tell me that before."</p><p>"Then I should more often." Leila winked. Mito flushed red and giggled.</p><p>"Oh Miss Leila, you're… quite the charmer."</p><p>"What can I say? The gorgeous types make me weak and I can't resist."</p><p>The waiter was on his way to their table balancing their food on a tray. Killua lifted his slingshot, ready to fire. He meant to break up Leorio and Mr. Kurta's joined hands, but the walnut had rammed into the head of another waiter. Said waiter stumbled over and bumped into the waiter holding their dinner and both their trays were sent flying as they crashed to the ground.</p><p>It caused a chain reaction, one waiter bumping into another and everyone's food getting knocked out their hands— some accidentally landing on the guests, salads, ribs, burgers and fries, scattered across the floor in a ruined fashion that it almost looked like a massacre had unfolded in front of them.</p><p>All of which Killua accidentally <em>caused</em>.</p><p>"Oops." Killua put down the slingshot.</p><p>"What did you do?!" Gon whispered. Killua shrugged. Leila had Mito under her spell because neither women noticed <em>anything </em>that just happened.</p><p>"We should do this again. I would like to take you on a proper date, Miss Freecs." Leila proposed. All the chaos happening around them simply didn't exist.</p><p>"Well I'd <em>love </em>to, it depends when I'm free…"</p><p>"Abort!" Killua whispered furiously. "The targets are leaving the restaurant!"</p><p>Along with a few other people, considering all the employees were suddenly fucking up their job and spilling things left and right— the well-kempt diner turned into a shithole in under an hour by a single walnut.</p><p>"I'll walk you to your car." Leila said. She left a couple bills on the table, "I just can't let a chance encounter like this go to waste. You were so lovely to speak with in such a short amount of time. I'm sad to let it go to waste."</p><p>"Oh Miss Leila, you're too sweet…" Mito placed a hand on her cheek, gushing. "Gon, Killua," she told the two boys, "Miss Leila is going to walk us out."</p><p>"Let's follow them." Killua said.</p><p>"Uh, okay. We'll be outside." Gon told them quickly, and they bolted from their table to follow Mr. Kurta and Leorio out of the restaurant. But they lost them in the crowd of waiting, impatient guests for a seat.</p><p>"Fishsticks." Killua huffed, "we lost them."</p><p>Gon sighed. "Maybe we shouldn't keep following them."</p><p>"Whaddya mean?" Killua pulled out his phone where he had Leorio's location locked down. "All we have to do is just follow them and keep an eye on them from a safe distance to make sure they aren't kissing."</p><p>"My dad <em>really </em>seems to like Mr. Kurta." Gon reasoned. "And Mr. Kurta seems to like him too. Maybe it won't do anything if they both like each other."</p><p>"If Mr. Kurta gets with your dad…" Killua said, worried, "what if they quit teaching for good?!"</p><p>Gon didn't like the sound of that. "They've been a really nice teacher to us and ever since <em>he </em>showed up he's been distracting Mr. Kurta."</p><p>"I don't want them to quit teaching." Gon assented, Killua's words making him worried as well.</p><p>"That's why we can't let them kiss."</p><p>"...but they really looked like they were having fun." Gon mumbled. "It feels like doing this ruins it."</p><p>Killua looked at Gon's distraught face and felt a little guilty. "At least he isn't two-timing and seeing some other person."</p><p>Leila and Mito walked out the restaurant, Mito's eyes landing on Gon and Killua at the sidewalk.</p><p>She gasped. "There you two are!" She rushed to them, "where did you go?"</p><p>"We were here the whole time." Killua casually answered. "You were too busy talking to the girl who was flirting with you so we left to give you two privacy."</p><p>Leila joined them. "Is everything alright?"</p><p>Mito nodded, "yeah. I found them."</p><p>"Okay. Well, I should get going." Leila took Mito's hand. "You have my number." She winked.</p><p>Mito waved at her. "Bye."</p><p>"Bye Miss Leila!" Gon waved as well, "I hope we see you again!"</p><p>"Gon!" Mito hissed. Leila simply laughed, walking back to her car.</p><p>"Let's go." Killua grumbled.</p><p>"So is she coming back?" Gon asked Mito, who took both their hands so that they wouldn't be let out of her sight again. Leorio would have a heart attack if he found out they ran off.</p><p>"I don't know." Mito laughed, "m-maybe…"</p><p>"She seems really nice, and really pretty. Right, Killua?"</p><p>"I guess."</p><p>"Do you think I should call her?"</p><p>"You obviously have a crush on her." Killua said with a cat-like smirk.</p><p>"I do not!"</p><p>"Totally do."</p><p>"I like Miss Leila." Gon said, hopping in his step. "I wanna see her again. I never saw Mito talk to anyone new."</p><p>"Other than your mean cheating uncle." Killua said.</p><p>"Then maybe I should…" Mito hummed to herself. "She <em>is</em> really sweet."</p><p>Slowly Killua decided to drop the idea of him pulling Leorio away from Mr. Kurta. He looked at his phone, noticing that their location had changed to some back alley a block away. He disabled the location tracker, tucking his phone into his pocket.</p><p>
  <em>You're safe, for now. Old man.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika struggled to put on his earring as Pairo was watching a k-drama on full volume in the living room.</p><p>He was in the bath for longer than intended, falling asleep with a face mask on and cucumbers over his eyes snoring and drooling away because a certain <em>someone </em>didn't wake him up, until he got a text from Leorio saying he was stuck in traffic, but he'd be coming by in another fifteen minutes. He jumped out the bathtub with his towel wrapped around his waist and another around his hair as he bolted for his bedroom to get dressed in the outfit he had laid out on his bed. Fuck shaving and any of the other prepping. He needed to get dressed in under five minutes.</p><p>"Leorio's going to be here in three minutes <em>and you didn't even remind me</em>." Kurapika bent down and pulled on his wedge sandal, hopping into the living room, Toodles barked, Pairo stroking her head while he lounged on the couch. </p><p>"Oh okay, cool." Pairo sprayed a can of whip cream in his mouth, barely listening.</p><p>"You promised." Kurapika jeered.</p><p>"I forgot." Pairo shrugged, "oopsie."</p><p>"I let you into my house."</p><p>"Correction, I let myself into this house. I grace you with my presence."</p><p>"How do I look?" Kurapika ignored him, presenting himself. </p><p>"Like a full-course meal, now move from the TV." Pairo fixed his glasses as he shook the can of whip cream, Toodles snuggled against him. "I need to read the fucking subtitles 'cause I'm already too much of a blind bitch as it is and you're not helping."</p><p>Kurapika quickly applied his lipstick, staring at the screen. "Are you watching <em>Itaewon Class </em>without me?"</p><p>"We started like two days ago and I really wanted to keep watching. You kept holding it off. I'm impatient." </p><p>"You're supposed to wait until we can binge together every weekend!"</p><p>"Well I can just give you a recap unless you wanna catch up on your own time."</p><p>Evil. Kurapika got a text from Leorio. "He's here." he said. "Don't spoil anything."</p><p>"Mmm okay." Pairo's eyes were glued to the TV.</p><p>Kurapika sprayed himself down with cologne, flipped his hair and aggressively shimmied all the anxiety out of his system. <em>Okay, Kurapika. </em>He took a deep breath, walked to the door and his foot hit the bottom and he swore loudly.</p><p>He let out a string of Kurtan expletives, then he opened the door and smiled at Leorio who frowned. </p><p>"Uh." Leorio laughed, "what was that?"</p><p>"I forgot something." Kurapika smiled. "Hello Mr. Leorio."</p><p>"Good evening," Leorio stepped aside to let Kurapika out, he leaned in to say hi to Pairo, "hey Egypt." it's an inside joke between them Kurapika would never understand because <em>Cairo</em> was meant to be the capital of Egypt, Leorio said it sounded similar, so he will digress.</p><p>"Hey Mr. Worldwide!" Pairo munched on a potato chip. "Byeee!" he waved.</p><p>"Pairo we're leaving, don't eat all my food and let Toodles shit on my floor again."</p><p>"Got it."</p><p>"<em>Byeeeee,</em>" Kurapika deadpanned, and he grabbed his keys then shut the door behind him.</p><p>"I still don't understand how I got that nickname."</p><p>"You said Pitbull was your favorite artist ever."</p><p>"Yeah, I did. Huh?"</p><p>"You were kind of asking for it."</p><p>"You... look," Leorio's eyes raked over his form and Kurapika smiled shyly, "<em>stunning</em>, Sunshine."</p><p>"Thank you. You look great." Kurapika said.</p><p>"Well we both already knew that." Leorio smirked.</p><p>Kurapika lifted his bag over his shoulder. He shoved Leorio with a snort, "Okay casanova. So, shall we?"</p><p>"Let's do this thing." Leorio offered an arm so Kurapika could take it. </p><p>
  <em>Here we go.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio just wanted to have <em>one </em>not-a-date-but-also-a-date with Kurapika. One alone with him, one that went smoothly, no distractions, no complications.</p><p>He even went to a diner one of he and Pietro's old high school friends owned and he was nice enough to reserve a seat for him and Kurapika ahead of time, meaning they could slide right in without having to wait.</p><p>And it <em>was </em>going fine. He ended up telling Kurapika more stories about his time shadowing in the ER as a med school student, laughing and having a good time, he even got to hear about Kurapika's brief time in school theatre and his important roles he landed himself in. He'd even gotten the opportunity for a broadway production overseas but he didn't want to leave Pairo so he dropped it for the sake of staying with him and focused more on his aforementioned ill-fated <em>law career </em>after high school.</p><p>Then their drinks were ruined by a mysterious flying object and the waiter rushed to apologize.</p><p>"It's fine." Leorio grit out, "could you just get us a refill?"</p><p>"Y-Yes, of course sir! We'll clean this up right away!"</p><p>Kurapika smiled apologetically as the waiter scampered off. "Are you sure your friend arranged this for us?"</p><p>"Yeah, he did. I begged Dre to not fuck this up for me."</p><p>"It's okay, maybe it's just nerves." Kurapika said. He got a phone call. "Oh, sorry."</p><p>"You can take it." Leorio said.</p><p>Kurapika lifted his purse on the table and took out a couple things. Many of which were <em>knives</em>, a pair of strange chain-linked nunchucks, a pack of cigarettes, lipstick, "there's my phone," he laughed, shoving all the knives into his purse, leaving a gawking Leorio to stare at the contents of which he casually carried in his bag. "What is it?" he hissed, shifting so that his side faced Leorio. "Yes we're at the restaurant! I told you I was going... we're still on there. Now I'm busy... don't call me again until tomorrow. I'm occupied... no I will not ask. I'm not asking about his finger size. Goodbye." he hung up and turned back to face Leorio, "Pairo."</p><p>"Ah." Leorio laughed, "if he thinks I'm planning to murder you, trust me, I have other intentions."</p><p>"Which are all good, I'd hope?"</p><p>"I thought you trusted me more than that."</p><p>"Depends."</p><p>They smiled at each other.</p><p>They talked a little more about their past. He found out that Kurapika had been sacrificing so much for his best friend over the years it reminded Leorio that he did the same with Pietro. He told Kurapika how he'd gotten sick and how much of a scare it was, continuing to do nothing but odd jobs so he could rack up a couple hundred in cash to help Pietro while he was bedridden. To help his family out while he could with their bills on top of his own family's building debt and did everything he could to keep them afloat.</p><p>"I felt like that summer was our last summer being idiot kids." Leorio said, "I gave up <em>everything </em>just to see him okay again, so we can go back to normal and hang out like we usually did. He was the only friend I had that didn't make fun of me and ditch me." He said. "I owe it to him for backing me up and helping me out when we were struggling. But enough about me, I'm guessing your younger days were <em>much </em>less depressing than mine. I'd hope?"</p><p>"Honestly, we've had our moments in high school when I rebelled against my dad for <em>stupid things </em>like hanging out with friends, drinking, all that stuff," Kurapika explained.</p><p>"Oh, talk about bad." Leorio whistled. "I like it."</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes, "It was <em>stupid. </em>All it did was upset my mom who was stuck in the middle because we were fighting all the time. Plus I was an only child. Pairo basically lived with me and he's like the closest I have to a sibling next to our cousins who didn't live with us and he made things feel less lonely, since he was the talkative one… it's strange, I feel like I've spent a lot of my childhood years taking care of Pairo. His eyesight started to get bad around the time we turned twelve and we had to pay for a lot of visits to the best doctors to see what's wrong. He didn't want to go through with surgery when they suggested it, so they've been prescribing medication ever since."</p><p>"That’s terrible," Leorio sighed, "I mean, it could've been worse, right?"</p><p>"We were positive he'd end up going blind." Kurapika said. "His parents wanted him to get the surgery but Pairo hadn't wanted to. I tried convincing them, but not even my parents would listen."</p><p>"I get it. He should have a decision of what he wants to do with his own body." Leorio agreed. "We didn't even have the option <em>or </em>the money to get Pietro to a doctor when he got sick."</p><p>"Sorry." Kurapika said, "I didn't mean to ramble off about being Pairo's caretaker, but you wanted to hear about my childhood. Well, it's not exactly as cheerful as you'd think."</p><p>Kurapika shared his sentiment, about the way Pairo was constantly picked on in school and how he sacrificed friendships to stay by his side. He turned down many offers from others, some opportunities big and some small, with the fear that it'd separate them, so he always put Pairo's happiness first.</p><p>Leorio reached out and took Kurapika's hand. "...I think I realized tonight just how you and I are alike." He murmured.</p><p>A flying walnut shot at their plates broke their sentimental moment.</p><p>"Jesus Christ," Leorio hissed, "<em>again</em>?! Is someone fucking with us?!"</p><p>"I don't see anyone." Kurapika looked around.</p><p>"I'm really sorry." Leorio rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "I can't even explain what's been going on with the waiters spilling our drinks and everything."</p><p>"Here, let me," Kurapika tried to help him get cleaned off from the wine that spilled on him when something hurtled right toward his groin and he groaned in pain, instantly plopping down in his chair.</p><p>"<em>Mother of fuck</em>."</p><p>"Oh my God."</p><p>"Someone's definitely gotta be fuckin' with us."</p><p>"Believe me, if I found them, I'd give them a piece of my mind. Are you alright?"</p><p>Leorio nodded weakly. "...really, really sorry."</p><p>"It's okay." Kurapika waved a hand, "accidents happen."</p><p>"It almost feels like someone is deliberately trying to sabotage our <em>date</em>."</p><p>Kurapika flushed, "...so it <em>is</em> a date?"</p><p>Well it was <em>supposed</em> to be.</p><p>But somehow, he ended up with vodka sauce on his shirt, pain in his groin from God knows what that <em>shot </em>at him from a distance, spilt wine, and they never got to eat their food because the waiters had collided into each other and tripped all over the place. In the span of a single night they became the clumsiest staff alive before they could get any deeper with their conversation about the past they both desperately wished they could reverse.</p><p>"There goes our food." Leorio deadpanned. "Again."</p><p>He wasn't sure whether to rip Dre a new one or blame it on his bad luck.</p><p>Honestly, at this point, <em>screw the date. </em></p><p>Leorio leaned in, "you wanna get outta here?"</p><p>Kurapika, too busy processing the <em>destruction </em>of the entire diner and their unfortunate luck with sitting down and having dinner together peacefully, nodded sagely at Leorio. "Let's."</p><p>Leorio took his hand and they stepped over bits and pieces of food, utensils, plates, and food trays, the employees scrambling all over to clean up after themselves and disappointed guests wondering how their night got ruined by bloody steaks getting thrown at them— running out of the diner. He left a tip for their <em>efforts </em>and would explain to his friend later for having to bail so early when he prepared this dinner primarily for the two of them to attend.</p><p>"That could be better." Leorio confessed, hitting the night air.</p><p>"I found a piece of salad in my hair." Kurapika fixed his bun back. "I agree. It was a <em>disaster</em>."</p><p>Leorio had an idea.</p><p>"So, what do you propose we do now?" Kurapika asked. Leorio took his hand again.</p><p>He suddenly felt like he was hanging out with Pietro again when they were both seventeen and about to graduate high school— making a move on the girl he was crushing on while they hung out at the park until dark.</p><p>He didn't <em>know </em>what they were supposed to do <em>now</em>, he thought about a romantic date where they got to know each other a little more outside of their busy work schedules— and <em>that </em>didn't work out too good, but he gazed at the bakery truck packing loads of sugar drive into the back alley near the shop at the end of the block, and dragged Kurapika down the block to track it down.</p><p>"Mr. Leorio!" <em>God</em>, he loved it when Kurapika called him that, one of the times where his accent came out and his name rolled sinfully beautiful off his tongue. "Where are we going?!"</p><p>"Just follow me!"</p><p>"Maybe you're planning to trap me and murder me after all? How <em>terrifying</em>."</p><p>"Trust me." Leorio led him into the alleyway. The truck had stopped inside, the drivers had gotten off the truck and were loading the packs of sugar on the back of the truck, leaving the entire alleyway in a haze of a sugar storm. They managed to slip behind them, pressing back against the brick wall of the building behind them giggling to themselves the whole way through.</p><p>"...I don't have a clue what we're doing, actually." Leorio confessed. He watched the way Kurapika gazed up at the clouds, fallen sugar particles landed atop his hair, his face, and his clothes.</p><p>His gaze fell to Kurapika's lips, white coated the peach color from the lipstick he was wearing. Kurapika stretched his hands out to catch the sugar into his hands and cup all that he could into his palm wondrously.</p><p>He looked like a deer in the headlights.</p><p>
  <em>"Leo, Leo, te quiero como un hermano," Pietro told him, "so I'm gonna tell it to you like it is. You gotta get over her. You can't spend the rest of your life punishing yourself for something that wasn't your fault." </em>
</p><p>He wanted to.</p><p>Whenever he looked at Kurapika, he wondered if it was a sign that he was finally allowed to start a new beginning. He had countless chance encounters through one night stands and a couple glasses of whiskey he thought could be something new, but all of them had felt the same. They were just as they were, a chance encounter and nothing more.</p><p>Kurapika was in his life now, whether they were here to <em>stay</em>— that choice was up to Leorio. He could easily turn his heel and run as far away as he could and forget that the first spark when he looked into their eyes ever happened, the more they talked, the closer they got, he's falling in love and he was afraid if he fell any harder he wouldn't be able to hit the brakes in time.</p><p>"I just wanted an excuse to spend more time with you." <em>But he doesn't want to keep running anymore</em>. Leorio blocked Kurapika's vision by shifting so he could face them directly.</p><p>His thumb brushed over Kurapika's lips, sugar smeared against it when he pulled his thumb back.</p><p>Kurapika's fingers dug into Leorio's hair, trying to ruffle all of the sugar out of them to no avail, they both laughed.</p><p>His face then turned serious.</p><p>"Leorio."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"I'm scared."</p><p>"Tell me why."</p><p>"Because I <em>really </em>like you, and I like being with you. But I know that it's wrong for us to do this, yet I just keep forgetting <em>every single time </em>we're together because it feels right, and it feels terrifying, and it feels good, so many things," Kurapika rambled, "and I could go <em>on</em> but I don't know what I should <em>do</em>."</p><p>"You don't think any of this shit scares me too?" Leorio asked, taking Kurapika's hand. He placed it on his chest, so that he could feel his racing heart that pounded for him. Five years ago he thought he wouldn't be alive, let alone come this far when he was <em>so close </em>to giving up everything. But then he looked at Gon, barely a few days old in that nursery, and how he was congratulated for becoming a <em>father </em>and where his journey had just begun from here— he swore if he didn't make his child his priority then he'd lose sight of everything else and make a repeat of the same mistakes, the same mistakes he's constantly argued with Pietro about wishing he could reverse.</p><p>He can't bring Aura back.</p><p>But he could do what she wasn't able to.</p><p>However, as Pietro said, <em>that doesn't mean you're not allowed to give yourself the happiness you always wanted and deserved</em>.</p><p>"Kurapika," Leorio breathed shakily, moving closer, "the way I feel for you scares me so bad that I can't even sleep at night. I wanted you from the first time I saw you at Knuckle's, when you had that black wig on, sunglasses, the beret…"</p><p>He and Gon just relocated to Yorknew for his job a little while before that and he was just getting a feel for the town. He's used to being around the bustling city life, and when he found out his old college friend was running a bar he decided to go there when work got too much to handle so he could drink his regrets with bourbon; hoping to take someone home and have their legs wrapped around his waist. He hadn't been sleeping around as much as he did in his college days but he admitted he liked to fool around on some weekend nights and have someone rub his shoulders while he moped on about the <em>joy </em>of spending hours in the OR hoping someone would listen.</p><p>Then he saw Kurapika, and yet, his eyes drifted to the pretty face that sat down blocking the view of the real person he'd be interested in the whole time and his drunken haze entertained it.</p><p>"Oh." Kurapika flushed, "I've only worn a black wig when I went out once like two years ago, I don't know, sometimes I like anonymity and thought wearing a disguise would take some eyes off me…" he gasped in surprise, "you <em>saw me</em> then? You knew that was me?"</p><p>"It took me a while, but yeah, I did. I've been seeing you come there alone for a while actually. You never went home with anyone and I just assumed you were there to have a good time, sexy and mysterious, you looked like you would kill a man for even looking at you and God did I dig that," Leorio didn't want to get too carried away, he didn't want to sound creepy, that it was a coincidence Kurapika often went to one of Leorio's best friends' <em>bar that he owned </em>and he didn't even notice Leorio had his eye on him for so <em>long </em>before he found out Kurapika was his son's teacher.</p><p>"But you looked <em>way </em>out of my league and I was too scared to even talk to you. But I <em>saw </em>you." Leorio emphasized, "Sure I had other stupid conquests that went nowhere but it didn't help get the thought of you out my mind! You just enchanted me! Kurapika Kurta, I like you too much to stop thinking about you since that time, and all the other times I watched you walk out that door and regretted making a move, to the point where I don't even <em>care </em>whether it's right or wrong, I just want <em>you</em>."</p><p>Kurapika shook his head, "why <em>me</em>? I'm not—" <em>looking through the world from the same view as you are</em>. "You could have <em>anyone </em>you want."</p><p>"Believe me I used to want all the money in the world to be in this position, but I was <em>so</em> wrong. I realized money and power are easily replaceable but the people you meet aren't. Some come and go, and some stay for a reason." Leorio justified, "all that other stuff, it's all just material. I don't care about <em>any </em>of that."</p><p>"And what you say are just words that hold meaning when you want it to." Kurapika said, "prove it to me that this isn't just something for your satisfaction."</p><p>"Do you want me to?"</p><p>Kurapika nodded.</p><p>"Close your eyes."</p><p>He did.</p><p>Leorio bent over, leaning in slowly until their sugar-coated noses brushed against each other. This wasn’t the same kiss they shared like the previous times, hurried and zealous. This was hesitant, the lingering fear of coming to terms with one's feelings and the acknowledgement that they were <em>both </em>feeling the same way. That they weren't just in over their heads, <em>should I stay or should I go</em>— <em>should we stop or should we keep going</em>?</p><p>The first brush of Kurapika's lips against his, Leorio already knew his answer. He's sure Kurapika did, when he settled his hands at his waist and their lips met. Leorio tasted the sweet sugar on his lips. The world moved once again around them, standing in the middle of it all— the sugar that rained down on them and colored their clothes a faded white and the way they kissed feeling like this was what they've been holding back from, what they've been trying to <em>avoid</em>— and kept on constantly running from when what they searched for was right under their noses.</p><p>The kind of kiss that took Leorio's breath away, he captured Kurapika's lips so gently that the other may break, taking as much time as he wanted to. As he was allowing himself to. Because he <em>could</em>, and he wasn't going to ignore his feelings anymore. Kurapika sighed again his lips and tugged on his biceps, leaning into him. If he wanted more proof, Leorio would give it to him. That this wasn't a chance encounter that'd end up with them in bed together and the rest would be history, not with the way he fit so perfectly into his and Gon's lives.</p><p>Leorio didn't want to let Kurapika go.</p><p><em>You're my new beginning I was searching for all along</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>💋💋💋</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Their giggles were hushed when they slipped into Leorio's loft, meeting each other's gaze and leaning in to kiss with the reverence and jittery excitement that racked through Leorio's body when they pressed into each other.</p><p>"It's my turn to make it up to you." Leorio murmured into Kurapika's lips.</p><p>"How so?" Kurapika questioned.</p><p>Leorio responded with a sumptuous kiss, sweeping Kurapika into his arms; a patient smile stretched across his lips when he guided them into his bedroom upstairs. </p><p>He laid Kurapika down on the bed, their lips parting as their clothes were shed and left on the ground beneath them. He removed Kurapika's shoes lastly for him, climbing over and hovering on top of Kurapika— taking note of his demure when he leaned over to kiss him.</p><p>"Can I take this off?" Leorio asked, gesturing to his binder fastened securely around his chest.</p><p>Kurapika nodded, but he decided to take it off himself. Leorio watched him silently, dropping the last garment on the mattress beside them and his head relaxed against the pillows, arms covered over his chest.</p><p>Leorio kissed him again, with the reassurance that it was <em>okay</em>, but if he had any second thoughts— Leorio understood that as well. They were both nervous, and he could feel Kurapika trembling beneath his touch when his fingers drew soothing circles across his skin, gleaming under the moon's lighting across the darkened room.</p><p>Kurapika wrapped his arms around Leorio's shoulders, opening himself up completely. "I trust you." He whispered, his fingers scratched soothingly into Leorio's scalp, easing his own nerves as they trailed across his face, his cheek, stubbled jaw, and removed his glasses, holding them against his chest like a vice, his safety pin, his anchor.</p><p>Neither of them wanted to rush through this, because this wasn't like other times. Where they weren't thinking it over, just satisfying insatiable hunger and hoping that it'd end there. But the look in Kurapika's eyes swirling blood red, glimmering, that said <em>I'm yours, Leorio Paladiknight</em>— and he wondered if he'd ever have a chance like this come around if he'd run away too soon.</p><p>Leorio's thumb lightly brushed over the silver piercing on his left nipple, matching the red jeweled piercing adorning his navel, glinting under the moon. Kurapika twitched, biting his lip. "Where'd you get these?"</p><p>"Um." Kurapika laughed, "that's... a <em>long </em>story— but, I did it... myself?" their voices were quieter than usual, somehow lightening up the intimate mood and it helped take off some tension, "stupid rebellious actions."</p><p>Leorio's thumb pressed against it and Kurapika couldn't help the moan it ripped from his throat, "Well I like it," he commented appreciatively, running his tongue flatly across the metal and taking in Kurapika's reaction, his thighs tightened around Leorio's hips and his fingers carded through his hair. </p><p>"Really?" He squirmed, shivering at the gentle suck once Leorio's lips latched around the hardened bud.</p><p>"Mhm..." He flattened his tongue again and felt Kurapika's body jolt. "You okay, <em>mi sol</em>?" he whispered.</p><p>Kurapika nodded, "yeah. Just— just keep going—"</p><p>His breaths grew heavier as Leorio's tongue traced over the hard lines of his stomach, twitching, his breath hitched, and he felt Leorio's hands trail up his thighs and his fingers brush against his heat— tongue swirling around his navel. Kurapika's head turned into the pillow, his other hand gripping the fabric of the sheets under the pillow.</p><p><em>"Don't stop</em>," he murmured repeatedly, so much as that he'd been saying it without realizing it. Leorio chuckled quietly— pleased to hear himself that Kurapika had been enjoying this. His chest heaved with every sharp intake of breath, and Leorio could map every inch of Kurapika's body for hours, his large hands brushed over the crest of his pelvis as a sign of reassurance, that they could go as slow as they wanted to.</p><p>They were allowing themselves the perfect opportunity to. On Kurapika's command, Leorio traveled downward, painting Kurapika's skin with blossoming red marks he sucked deeply into. When his wet tongue curved around his folds and fingers carefully slipped inside with finesse, his mouth falling open with a mewl. He'd try to wax poetic on the tip of his tongue if he could.</p><p>Kurapika jerked forward, responding greatly with respite— and vocally, at that.  </p><p>Leorio whispered nothing but sweet words laced with ardor across Kurapika's skin, littered with goosebumps and arching against his touch. He hadn't known how long he'd been at it until Kurapika pleaded that he needed him and couldn't take it anymore, and neither could Leorio neglecting his leaking erection settled heavy between his legs.</p><p>Kurapika's hand dragged across the bedside surface, handing Leorio a condom. Leorio took his hands and kissed them briefly, taking the packet between his teeth and ripping it apart. He laid back impatiently, about to reach and touch himself, but Leorio pried his hand away. He rolled the condom over his cock and stroked himself, the pre-cum leaking from the tip coated his length and he moaned.</p><p>He took Kurapika's hand and pinned it against his side before his hand could touch him, withholding the temptation to let Kurapika touch him and seizing over control once more, "Let me take good care of you, okay?"</p><p>The tip of his erection brushed over Kurapika's entrance, and Kurapika nodded, Leorio's lips found the back of Kurapika's hand. Kurapika's mouth fell open, a whimper escaped him, Leorio's eyes pinned on him and the red flush spread from his cheeks throughout his body.</p><p>"Ready for me?"</p><p>"God, <em>yes—"</em></p><p>He didn't wait long enough when he finally sheathed inside Kurapika, legs wrapped around his waist and the satisfying clench around his cock like Kurapika had meant to pull him in and never let go.</p><p>"A-Ah..." Leorio didn't take his eyes off Kurapika for a second through a broken gasp, when Kurapika's eyes turned half-lidded. His body trembling the deeper Leorio stroked inside him and halted, a quiet moan at the tightness. Their breaths mingled as one, a long, drawn-out kiss, and then Leorio started to move his hips like he remembered it all like the back of his hand. It might've been a while, and he'd admit his movements were a little rusty, but he wanted to pleasure Kurapika like he was anointed.</p><p><em>"Oh— </em>L-Leorio...<em>" </em>He shifted at the perfect angle just to hear the sweet sound of Kurapika's cries and broken gasps, groaning at the tightness. Fuck, it'd really been a while. But he heard Kurapika's soft cry as he held onto Leorio and his scarlet eyes sparkling with a hint of tears in them, the sensation had been so overwhelming but he whispered <em>"yes, there</em>—" and Leorio fastened his pace, a moan trapped in his throat set free, sweat beading down his forehead, nails digging into his back as the muscles there flexed with each hard thrust.</p><p>He could tell it might've been Kurapika's first time in a while, and so he left the softest of kisses trailing from his neck, to his jaw, his earlobe where he lovingly nipped and breath hot into his ear. Kurapika trembled against him, the heat of their bodies skyrocketed tangling further into the sheets.</p><p>"Feel good, baby?" Leorio braced his arm over Kurapika's head, his voice husked and his eyes dazed in arousal. Kurapika hummed, unable to form a coherent sentence eventually and instead, his calves dug into Leorio's lower back.</p><p>He felt the pain that came along with the red lines from Kurapika's manicured nails and grunted, he angled his hips and rolling them in calculated precision. "You feel so good," he murmured, "so <em>tight, </em>so beautiful, so <em>perfect</em>." They kissed fervidly, losing themselves in the heat of the moment. </p><p>Leorio sealed their lips together like a faithful promise, that he'd make love to Kurapika and have him for a night he wouldn't ever forget, give him enough proof that he needed that this wouldn't be the end of it. It was only getting started.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika woke up the next morning, as comfortable as ever. But he wasn't in his own bed. He felt around the sheets, warm cotton beneath him and a soft, thick blanket draped over him. He expected his arms to be wrapped around someone else's frame, but the presence he felt throughout the night was no longer there.</p><p>He slowly sat up, the covers dropped from his naked frame.</p><p>Last night hadn't felt real at all. Leorio made up for a disaster of a date for unforgettable <em>passion</em>, his tongue ran over every inch of Kurapika's body and his hands dug crescent prints into his skin he could still feel even now, taken past his limits more than he could count, he'd lost track after the first time he felt the burning stretch of his hardness pounding into him relentlessly until he'd lost all sense of himself—</p><p>He was feeling himself get hot all over thinking about it.</p><p> </p><p>💋💋💋</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika left the bed, already missing the comforts of sleeping in a king-sized bed made of such <em>fine </em>material. He imagined himself waking up like this every morning, well-rested, but to experience it first-hand was different. He pulled on his underwear and threw on one of Leorio's shirts, not even thinking to check his phone as he crept down the hall.</p><p>He took his time to get a feel of the house, hand brushing against the railing, scanning over the newly painted walls decorated with picture frames and antiques. Kurapika smelled breakfast downstairs, distracting him from his little tour around the home.</p><p>It's different being here when Gon wasn't home— like a prolonged visit after spending the night. He descended the stairs and saw Leorio cooking breakfast in the kitchen.</p><p>Kurapika wanted this so badly that it still scared him, after staying the night, and selfishly having Leorio to himself in many different ways— ways that burned in the back of his mind and filled his stomach with butterflies.</p><p>It felt good.</p><p>It felt<em> right.</em></p><p>Not like it was new. Like it was missing. Like it had meant to happen all along.</p><p>Leorio noticed him when he turned around, scraping scrambled eggs into a full plate of pancakes layered with fruits, sausage, and bacon.</p><p>Kurapika smiled at him. Leorio smiled back. He was dressed in a new clean button-down, a blue and silver Roger Dubuis watch secured around his wrist matched the color of his shirt, a silver cross necklace hanging down his neck.</p><p>"Morning, Sunshine." He turned the stove off and left the pan on top of it, crossing over the counter— and he kissed Kurapika. Once, twice. They were allowed to do that now, the grace of enjoying each other's presence, the taste of Leorio's lips and the comfort of Old Spice and strong cologne.</p><p>"Morning." Kurapika sat down, "mm, you made breakfast?"</p><p>"Can't let you go to work on an empty stomach."</p><p>Kurapika had almost forgotten. "How long do we have?"</p><p>"Hmm," Leorio sat down, "about two hours. I can drop you off since I've got a morning shift."</p><p>Kurapika forgot to check his phone. "You remembered."</p><p>"Well it <em>is Monday</em>." Leorio tapped Kurapika's nose, taking a huge bite of his pancake.</p><p>"What would I do without you?" Kurapika asked, revelling. Leorio chuckled.</p><p>"If you think I hadn't gotten used to your work schedule by now, you're wrong. Eat as fast as you can, you should get dressed. Feel free to use my shower and anything you need." Leorio got a phone call, and he lifted his phone to his ear, "yo, Pete, what's up?"</p><p>Kurapika finished his breakfast quickly before quietly telling Leorio he was going to shower. Leorio said he had a gift for him once Kurapika finished getting ready. He said Kurapika was free to change in any of the rooms if not his bedroom and could take any snacks and leftovers he wanted, like the place had been his for the taking without a single thought. Kurapika pulled on his shoes, getting up and tripping over something on his way out of Leorio's bedroom.</p><p>He fell face-first to the carpet, turning around and hurriedly checking if he fell over something he shouldn't by accident.</p><p>It was a box.</p><p>The box was open, an old box that was one taped shut a long time ago and opened to shove whatever belongings inside. Kurapika crawled over to the box.</p><p>Pairo's voice rang in his head.</p><p><em>No, Kurapika, you're better than that. </em>Leorio offered him to stay over and have breakfast with him, that didn't mean he should snoop.</p><p>Kurapika stared at the box.</p><p>He bit his lip.</p><p>It's probably just junk, anyway. Kurapika opened it and found a couple polaroid photos inside.</p><p>Leorio was in the photo, and he stood next to a woman Kurapika had never seen before. She had long, curly dark hair, brown eyes, and a smile that showed her dimples as she wrapped her arms around Leorio's chest. They looked like they were at a tropical resort, a beachside seen in the background, a younger Leorio with an arm around her side.</p><p>Gon's nowhere to be seen. Kurapika found another photo of the woman and he swallowed thickly, his heart dropped to his stomach.</p><p>
  <em>Who is she? </em>
</p><p>There was a graduation photo, she took a photo with Mito, a couple other relatives, Leorio's brothers and sister, a man that looked like the woman's parents.</p><p>"Kurapika?"</p><p>Kurapika quickly shoved all the photos back in the box, accidentally hitting a trophy that was tucked away in there. He closed the box and shoved it back under Leorio's bed.</p><p>"Yeah?" He scrambled up, fixing his hair and pretending he was still getting ready.</p><p>"You doing okay up there? I hope you didn't get lost or anything! I know this place is pretty big so it gets overwhelming." Leorio entered the room and his voice became clearer than just an echo.</p><p>"I'm fine." Kurapika said, "I've been in here the whole time."</p><p>"Great. Ready?" Leorio asked, hands shoved in the pockets of his slacks.</p><p>"Yeah." It felt <em>so good </em>being able to tug him down by the collar and kiss him until their lips were swollen they were panting, but if they didn't stop Leorio would take him against the kitchen counter and they'd end up being late.</p><p>The woman in the photo lingered in the back of Kurapika's mind and he felt guilty when their kiss got a little too heated, moaning shamefully against it and pushing Leorio back suddenly.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Leorio whispered, chest heaving against Kurapika's palm. He could feel how hard his heart was beating. Pupils dilated wide.</p><p>"We're gonna be late." Kurapika reminded him.</p><p>"Right, let me give you your gift." Leorio pecked him on the lips, "you just stay right there and look pretty."</p><p>"Time is ticking." Kurapika teased.</p><p>Leorio came back with a black box tied up with a red ribbon, handing it to Kurapika, "do me a favor and don't open this until you get home, okay?"</p><p>Kurapika nodded slowly. Leorio grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter, cleaned up after he made breakfast. "Let's go."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Cheadle announced there would be a school trip to the local aquarium next week.</p><p>The elementary students would be going only, however, Kurapika found himself thinking of other things.</p><p>Leorio stopped volunteering as their guest speaker a while back since his temporary stay at the school to teach was up after he's covered all topics in each grade. But Kurapika still had to see him every other week and he tended to forget that things were different between them.</p><p>They were texting a lot more, talking on the phone, making plans to see each other outside of school.</p><p>Except those plans never went anywhere because Leorio always had a shift around every corner to sneak up on him.</p><p>Kurapika tried to be fine with that. Second dates didn't always come back-to-back and he shouldn't expected this if he wanted to be... <em>serious</em> with Leorio. </p><p>To say the least, <em>some</em> things had progressed after their date; but there weren't <em>more</em> dates to come after that.</p><p><em>Of course </em>neither of them broke the news to Gon yet. Kurapika didn't want the rest of their co-workers knowing that they were <em>dating </em>but Leorio trying to kiss him when they had some alone time and nearly blowing their cover a time too many was raising risks <em>neither</em> of them needed on their plate right now. They had to resort to making out in the staff restroom, and unfortunately, <em>everyone </em>makes out in the staff restroom if not the janitor's closet. The janitors complained enough that their place wasn't some hotspot for people to have sex in nor was it a free storage space to keep their belongings, and because no one cared, people did <em>just</em> that. They also complained a lot about Hisoka in general, and the only person who remotely tolerated his presence was Franny, but Franny was the one janitor that was cool with <em>everyone.</em></p><p>Kurapika's been seeing Illumi come out of there far too often with Hisoka following him out and he'd just smile sweetly as he walked away. As long as he had that Visitor's Pass he could do what he wanted.</p><p>Kurapika wanted to enjoy dating Leorio. He was sweet. Gave Kurapika gifts (one of which was a new vibrator and money that Kurapika quickly closed back out of sheer embarrassment), sent flowers to the staff room, which maybe was a little bit <em>over the top</em> since everyone knew it was from him. The money was <em>a lot</em>, Kurapika didn't exactly need five-hundred Jenny on a regular basis unless he had rent to catch up on. He did, and because he mentioned it to Leorio once Kurapika had to tell him that he <em>didn't </em>need to financially compensate for something he could definitely handle.</p><p>He got Kurapika lunch during breaks, drove him home and to school. Kurapika's wearing more and more things that his co-workers are picking up on that cost way out of his budget and were <em>name-brand </em>clothes much similar to a certain Zoldyck he despised. Even Illumi stared him down one afternoon and scoffed, an <em>I told you so </em>written all over his face. He helped Kurapika with his lesson plans after school, proved to be a great sponsor nonetheless, so he's just about barely subtle in making it seem like he and Kurapika weren't dating.</p><p>Then he kept thinking about how he was snooping through Leorio's secret box and felt guilty every time he ended up sleeping with him on nights Gon was away and leaving Leorio's apartment with another gift and an even <em>more </em>guilty conscience.</p><p>He slept over recklessly one night and was late to a faculty meeting, failing to cover the hickies on his neck from the night before. Then everyone <em>knew </em>something was up, but no one had said a word. Bisky was glaring at him and he had to cover his neck in embarrassment.</p><p>"Oh, more flowers?" Pairo asked when he walked into the staff room.</p><p>"You can have them." Kurapika said. "I have too much at my house already."</p><p>"Maybe you can let me borrow LP for a few days while you're at it." Pairo teased, sitting down next to Kurapika.</p><p>"Sharing is caring, Peeks." Pakunoda winked, leaving the room to get lunch somewhere else with her car keys, Machi followed. Kurapika and Pairo smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Save some chocolates for us." She pointed at Kurapika.</p><p>Surprisingly, his co-workers were chill about it. They'd seen it coming a mile away and Pairo joked the sexual tension was so thick that he felt like he needed to leave the room himself. For him to say that, then it was embarrassing enough they were trying so hard to keep this a secret. Sometimes they teased him here and there but they all liked Leorio and nothing <em>much </em>had changed. Save for the gifts, the <em>mindblowing </em>sex, and the occasional offering of money.</p><p>There was also the spare key to freeload his gorgeous big loft whenever he wanted. </p><p>It was hard to resist the temptation of coming in and seeing a note left on the fridge he'd be out working, so if he showed up, the loft would be his. After all, Kurapika found out there was a fucking pool and jacuzzi a few rooms down when he accidentally stumbled over and pressed a button, a door opening to an entire indoor pool just <em>there </em>without his knowledge, and according to Leorio, <em>he had full access to everything. </em></p><p>He couldn't leave without <em>using </em>said access, for fuck's sake.</p><p>"You're all a pain to work with." Kurapika sighed.</p><p>"Why are you sadly eating your subway sandwich?" Pairo asked, "The subway sandwich LP lovingly bought for you."</p><p>"I'm not." Kurapika said, sadly eating his sandwich anyway.</p><p>"You know you're living the life every mom whose kid goes to this school <em>wants</em>."</p><p>"Which is?"</p><p>"Being the arm candy of a surgeon?!"</p><p>"Shh!" Kurapika hissed, "I told you we're not exactly being <em>open </em>about this."</p><p>"Shal saw you visit him at the hospital y'know, givin' each other the old smooch." Pairo made kissing noises, "<em>oh</em> <em>doctor</em>! <em>Can I objectify you</em>?!"</p><p>Kurapika smacked him in the arm, "<em>quit it</em>." He hissed.</p><p>"How's that special <em>gift </em>working out for ya?"</p><p><em>...It worked wonders. </em>But Kurapika wasn't going to tell that to his evil meddling best friend who acted like the devil himself, "I shouldn't have told you we were dating."</p><p>"I'm just messing with you. I'm happy my sex-deprived bestie is getting action. I thought cobwebs were forming between your legs."</p><p>Kurapika glared at him.</p><p>"Aren't you happy?" Pairo asked, smiling.</p><p>Kurapika's lack of a response concerned Pairo.</p><p>"I am." That was a lie.</p><p>"You hesitated." Pairo also knew that was a lie.</p><p>"I… didn't."</p><p>"I've known you since we were <em>three</em>, you look down and take at least three seconds to respond when you're lying about something."</p><p>"We have a field trip to plan." Kurapika changed the topic, and he wrapped back up his Subway sandwich because he lost his appetite.</p><p>"What happened after the disaster date?"</p><p>"I already told you all the details."</p><p>"Not the <em>sex </em>part," Pairo rolled his eyes, "you stayed the night, right?"</p><p>Kurapika nodded.</p><p>"Tell me what happened!"</p><p>"I told you enough. Let it go. Let's focus."</p><p>Pairo had an idea, "what if I told you a secret, would you tell me what happened after the date?"</p><p>"I don't know, I'm not sure why you think <em>that </em>would convince me but sure."</p><p>"What if I…" Pairo waited until some of them had stepped out of the staff room to tend to business of their own, "toldyouIsetupthecomplaintbox." he said quickly.</p><p>Kurapika's eyes blinked comically wide, "<em>what</em>?"</p><p>"Nothing so anyways tell me what happened~"</p><p>Kurapika made a note to question Pairo on that topic later, “I— well— when I was getting dressed, I was about to head out when I tripped over something sticking out from under the bed.”</p><p>“Oh my God.”</p><p>“I thought I accidentally tripped over something crazy expensive and panicked, but no, it was just a box.”</p><p>“...You found his secret stash.”</p><p>“It’s not a <em>secret stash</em>,” Kurapika bluffed, “it just so happened to be a box that had like, well, <em>photos</em>, and other belongings…”</p><p>“There’s another bitch in the picture.” Pairo snapped his fingers, “<em>knew it</em>, Machi owes me twenty Jenny.”</p><p>“<em>You bet on this</em>?!” Kurapika shouted, “Pairo!”</p><p>“I couldn’t <em>resist</em>, okay? It makes things <em>so much </em>more interesting when there’s hidden secrets we don’t know about. And it sounded like to us that LP has hidden secrets we don’t know about.”</p><p>“This is serious.” Kurapika said, “I don’t even <em>know </em>who she is. Or <em>why </em>he has photos of her. He never mentioned a former partner in particular to me.” Kurapika was also hoping Leorio would talk about it eventually, even after they started <em>dating</em>, somewhat, they never really talked about it being <em>official</em>, one morning they were giving each other kisses before Kurapika was dropped off to work and he’s been going with the flow. Nothing else had been discussed, at least nothing else related to their first date gone wrong.</p><p>“You think she’s…” Pairo didn’t want to finish the sentence, trailing off.</p><p>“I don’t want to jump to conclusions.” Kurapika said. “I shouldn’t have even looked at it. Your stupid advice now led me to doing something <em>incredibly invasive </em>and I’ve felt awful about it ever since.”</p><p>“I know you just started dating and all,” Pairo said, “but <em>you know </em>how complicated it gets when there’s someone else in the picture.”</p><p>“We’ve been watching way too many dramatic TV shows to be making conclusions about any of this.”</p><p>“I’d run. And fast.”</p><p>“I thought you were the one encouraging this!”</p><p>“Not when there’s a fucking <em>Mrs. Paladiknight </em>lurking somewhere out there!”</p><p>“Don’t say that.” Kurapika threatened. “I don’t need any more stress thinking about this.”</p><p>“Has Gon said anything? About like, his mom?”</p><p>“No. All I know is that Mito, Ging, and Leorio share custody over Gon every week. Again, I’ve never seen her. This is my first time seeing how she looks, and who’s to say it even <em>is </em>his mother? I just assumed it’s not my place to ask.”</p><p>“You kinda did the opposite with the Zoldycks.”</p><p>“Well Gon’s alleged mother doesn’t possibly work in the<em> mafia</em> does she?” Kurapika reasoned.</p><p>“Fair point.” Pairo said, “<em>but </em>it makes sense to ask from your position’s viewpoint, if he’s still dragging along baggage he didn’t fucking <em>get rid of,</em> Pika.”</p><p>“Gon has loving guardians who take care of him!” Kurapika contended, well mostly, he didn’t know what the Hell was going on with their uncle Ging but the man was just as odd as the Zoldyck situation entirely. He also knew he was saying this to convince himself he had nothing to worry about. “I shouldn’t have snooped. It’s none of my business and I’m going to continue pretending it isn’t.”</p><p>That didn’t mean he was going to forget about the secret box, and why Leorio kept it under his bed.</p><p>It can’t mean he’s seeing someone else.</p><p>He wouldn’t be keeping photos of them in a box if he <em>was</em>.</p><p>“Ugh.” Kurapika raked his fingers through his hair with both hands. “Do you think it was a mistake?”</p><p>“It was about time you two fucked, of course not.”</p><p>“Pairo.”</p><p>Pairo rubbed his shoulder, “...well it’s either you ask, or you break it off.”</p><p>“What if he suspects something’s wrong?”</p><p>“As much as I want you to be happy, this is the kind of thing you have to work out with yourself. Besides, you’re still taking it slow, and you haven’t had time to put a label on it either. Though… the chocolates he’s been sending to us are <em>reeeeeally </em>good—” Kurapika’s glare made him chuckle sheepishly, “—there’s still time to stop it. For your sake. He’d understand that you’re just <em>not ready </em>to deal his baggage on top of all your repressed bullshit, no offense, and maybe try waiting before you work things out.”</p><p>“I do like him.” Kurapika said, “I really do.”</p><p>“Well we got a <em>huge </em>aquarium trip to plan for, next week.” Pairo said. “Time’s not going any slower.”</p><p>“I know.” Kurapika remembered what Pairo said earlier, “what did you say about setting up the complaint box?”</p><p>“Oh would you look at that?” Pairo checked his wrist, “I have to pick up my class.”</p><p>“You don’t wear a watch.”</p><p>“I almost forgot, well byeeeee—”</p><p>“—Pairo! Did you or did you <em>not </em>set up the complaint box?!”</p><p>“<em>I really have to get going.</em>”</p><p>“Do you know how much<em> unrest</em> it has been causing for the past like, three months?!”</p><p>“Look, Halley’s Comet!” Pairo pointed out the window. Kurapika turned around and Pairo quickly booked it out the room, accidentally bumping into Shalnark and Nobunaga making their way inside with lunch from the cafeteria in their hands.</p><p>“Pairo!” Kurapika chased after him.</p><p>Phinks and Feitan walked in as well, and they all spotted the chocolates and the flowers sitting on the desk next to the school laptops.</p><p>Everyone looked at each other.</p><p>They ran toward it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika’s putting himself in deep water and he knew it.</p><p>He had many chances to ask Leorio about the woman in the photos. Yet every single time he thought of Gon’s face and how he told him that Leorio seemed happier lately, and how he said it was because of Kurapika, and how the class really missed having his presence around— and the words kept dying in his throat when Leorio would give him that tender look on that damn handsome face of his and whisper <em>sunshine </em>and kiss him breathless— and <em>God </em>Kurapika should tell him.</p><p>But the trip was now in two days, in-between all of that planning and collecting the money from all the students, organizing all groups, settling on a date, Kurapika had to be reminded that he had a <em>job </em>he put above everything else just as Leorio had— if you also involved putting family on the same pedestal, anything related to family right now was making Kurapika feel nauseous.</p><p>He didn’t know how to tell his mother the surgeon he finally started seeing could be a divorced man, which, who knows, the other party could be plotting a hit against him as they speak and <em>likely</em>, Kurapika’s letting his paranoia overtake his every thought.</p><p>Leorio chose<em> him</em>.</p><p>What’s in the past should stay in the past.</p><p>Between the first date, and so far, the only date they managed to have due to Leorio’s hectic shift schedule and Kurapika’s job— they’ve gotten farther in their relationship than they ever had the first time they met.</p><p>Kurapika liked this <em>too much </em>to <em>end it </em>completely after the ending of their first date ended well and it’s something he’d been wanting since he came to terms with his feelings for Leorio.</p><p>Kurapika visited the hospital again after school. Oito, the nurse, a sweet woman with a child of her own named Woble who she brought to work sometimes Kurapika became good friends with and ended up conversing a lot with throughout his visits guided him to his office— and immediately the thought of the box slipped from his mind.</p><p>“If you see a man with a missing arm,” Oito said, “you might want to prepare yourself. He’s a very forward man, and frankly, he terrifies me and all the other nurses here.”</p><p>“I-Is that so?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Well he has a gun he openly shows when he shows up, he never uses it, and he’s loud, sometimes threatens to shoot people. He’s Dr. Paladiknight’s patient so he isn’t an active threat but I wouldn’t want to anger him if I were you.” Oito casually explained.</p><p>“Okay.” Kurapika nodded, Leorio said the man would try to kill him if he refused treatment but he seemed to have a reputation. “Just to be clear, the police<em> are</em> aware of this man, yes?”</p><p>“The police are on his side actually. Local gangs here are granted immunity and protection for the power they have. Which is why lots of them end up here needing to be treated. Of course, many of the doctors here refuse treating wanted felons, but not Dr. Paladiknight. He always refuses to turn away treatment if one’s life is at risk. He believes his job is to save any life that rolls in through those doors and he doesn’t care where they come from or who they are, all he sees is a life that’s in danger and in need of saving. I respect that about him, and that’s why I’m very happy to be on his team.” Oito said fondly. “And he’s quite popular among the other nurses. So I’d say you’re not the only one charmed by his kind-hearted nature. They’re always rubbing his shoulders, and it’s almost aggravating to watch when we have important work to do as a team.”</p><p>Kurapika smiled a little. He wouldn’t expect anything less of the man. Oito’s one of the nurses Kurapika was able to get along with because he suspected the others by the way they’d give him side-eyes that they weren’t very fond of him.</p><p>She’d tell him brewing gossip among the hospital staff and he realized the drama was just as bizarre as the one he’d experience at the school he worked at— how Zepile had slept with the receptionist to get discounts on lunch in the cafeteria until he broke up with her claiming that <em>it just wasn’t going to work out</em> when she couldn’t anymore, when it turned out he found another receptionist who’d keep giving him her discount passes. Now the both of them utterly despised him, or which among the doctors, nurses, interns, were secretly having affairs and sleeping around.</p><p>It sounded like every medical drama Kurapika invested in come to life behind the scenes, with a side of bad blood between employees and scandals that involved some people getting fired.</p><p>“Right this way.” Oito presented the closed door, “He really needs the distraction. We could tell how grateful he is having you by his side, Mr. Kurta.”</p><p>Kurapika smiled. “Thank you, Miss Oito.”</p><p>He opened the door. Leorio, tired from constant patient work, pleased to see Kurapika as he ended a busy phone call he was in the middle of.</p><p>“There you are.” He marveled, arms spread wide— wrapping his arms around Kurapika and lifting him in the air as he kissed him soundly and Kurapika holding onto him and <em>he really wanted to do this for a long time</em>, because he shouldn’t care if it’s supposed to be wrong anymore.</p><p>“Sunshine,” Leorio’s voice was roughened with exhaustion, “I missed you. Did work end?”</p><p>“It did.” Kurapika smiled, “I just thought I’d ask Pairo to drop me off here to see you.”</p><p>“Sup.”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t realize the gangster with a missing arm was sitting right there in the chair in front of Leorio’s desk.</p><p>“That’s Antonio,” Leorio presented, “the patient who I had to operate on after he got shot five times during a gang fight just the other day.”</p><p>Antonio grinned.</p><p>“Antonio, this is Kurapika.” Leorio said tiredly.</p><p>“This is Kurapika?” Antonio asked, surprised. He whistled. “Hot damn!”</p><p>“Hello.” Kurapika waved, he had no idea the man Oito had warned him about was even sitting there and his cheeks grew hot. “This is your favorite patient.”</p><p>“He’s also my most frequent patient I get paged about when he’s rolled in here about to bleed to death.”</p><p>“Me and Leo are tight.” Antonio said, “he fought to be my doc ‘cause no one trusted me enough to be admitted into here. Some bullshit. But he told ‘em he’d take real good care of me, as long as I was his problem, then everybody’s cool.”</p><p>Kurapika folded his arms, “...how’s your… injuries?”</p><p>“Just the usual.”</p><p>“Wow.” Kurapika smiled, “he’s a fighter.”</p><p>“Antonio was just leavin’.” Leorio said, “we’ll talk about prescriptions tomorrow. For now, get out and don’t reopen your damn wounds again. I gave you enough stitches to last you through a war.”</p><p>“You got it, doc!” Antonio saluted, “y’know if I’m in trouble, I’m gonna need you there for me.”</p><p>“Get out Antonio.”</p><p>“Tell Pete I said hi!”</p><p>“Pete hates you Antonio.”</p><p>“See ya!” Antonio left the office.</p><p>Leorio kissed him again, the door closing. Kurapika hummed. “How’s my favorite teacher doin’?”</p><p>“We’ve been planning for a school trip.” Kurapika sighed, “two-hundred students might be attending, different grades, first trip of the school year. Always the most stressful.”</p><p>“I see.” Leorio kissed him again.</p><p>“You smell like antiseptic.”</p><p>“I’ve finished like three surgeries in the past few hours.” Leorio chuckled, “sorry, you’re gonna have to deal with me lookin’ like I walked out a murder scene when I’m workin’.”</p><p>“I don’t mind it.” Kurapika said. Leorio kissed him tenderly. It turned feverish, Leorio lifting Kurapika on his desk and shrugging off his lab coat.</p><p>The box reached his mind at the worst moment, Leorio’s lips latching on his neck and sucking there gently.</p><p>“Missed you,” he whispered hotly into Kurapika’s neck.</p><p>“Leorio.” He arched when felt a hand squeeze his ass, and he lifted Leorio’s head to look him in the eye.</p><p>“What’s up?” Leorio asked, “would you prefer we do this in my car? I gotta pick up Gon from daycare later. Mito’s closin’ early ‘cause I heard she had a date with some chick she met at a diner—”</p><p>Kurapika placed a finger on Leorio’s lips, “<em>can we take this slow</em>?” he blurted out. Not that he was against the idea of sex against a <em>desk</em>— but he also had some decency, though that wasn’t the main reason he said this.</p><p>“Of course.” Leorio nodded, “i-if you want me to uh— stop with the gifts—”</p><p>“I’d appreciate that. My co-workers are slaughtering each other for who gets the chocolates to the point where the flowers aren’t even meant for me anymore.”</p><p>“Right…” Leorio scratched the back of his head. His five o’clock shadow from twenty-four hour calls looked <em>heavenly </em>on him and Kurapika’s beard burn on his thighs were disappearing quite fast. He shifted uncomfortably from where he sat on his desk. “It’s too much isn’t it?”</p><p>“Kind of?”</p><p>“I’m sorry. I just. I really like you. And I thought spoiling you would be a good way to show that.”</p><p>“Giving me three hundred Jenny when I said I needed a few supplies for my classroom is overdoing it.”</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p>“No it’s fine!” Kurapika rushed to say, “I appreciate it. I really do. But we only had one date, and I’m not even… sure what this <em>is</em>, between us.”</p><p>“I get that you’re still… teaching, and I still have my job here.” Leorio said, “and I should keep things professional. Regardless of what we are.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“But… I don’t wanna stop this.”</p><p>
  <em>Me neither.</em>
</p><p>Kurapika got off Leorio’s desk, leaning against it. “I haven’t done this in a while. I’m still getting a feel of everything.” It wasn’t entirely true, but he was being as earnest as he could.</p><p>“Me neither. I-If you don’t count the occasional hookups.”</p><p>They both laughed nervously.</p><p>“We don’t have to act as if everything has to be a grand gesture.” Kurapika clarified. “I enjoyed the date that I had with you. Even if it was a <em>mess</em>, and your friend worked hard on that reservation. But I’d still like for things to be the same as before.”</p><p>“I can do normal.” Leorio shoved his hands in the pockets of his scrubs.</p><p>“Can you?”</p><p>“I’ll… try my best.”</p><p>“Good.” Kurapika leaned in and kissed his cheek.</p><p>“Is that what’s been on your mind, Sunshine?”</p><p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p>Kurapika nodded. “I just figured we’d talk about stuff. We can talk about things now. And… you can also talk to me about things.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>Leorio definitely didn’t look like he got the memo, there.</p><p>Kurapika decided to leave it be.</p><p>“I’m feelin’ ramen after my shift’s over,” Leorio offered, “after I pick up Gon, mind joinin’ us?”</p><p>The three of them.</p><p>Like a family.</p><p>Kurapika said yes before he let his thoughts plague him too much.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Kurapika!” Cheadle ran into him on his way to the copy room.</p><p>“Hello Miss Yorkshire.”</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you about parent volunteers for the aquarium trip.”</p><p>“...Yeah?”</p><p>Cheadle walked beside him, “so I contacted Mr. Paladiknight via e-mail asking if he could clear his schedule to join us, we have a very large group so it’d be necessary we have a fair number of parent volunteers for chaperoning.”</p><p>Kurapika almost dropped all the copies he was cradling in his arms. “Leo— M-Mr. Paladiknight’s doing what?”</p><p>“He said he’d be able to assist us as a chaperone.” Cheadle said, “we made some arrangements, he’d be assigned to your class for the field trip.”</p><p>The man his bosses didn’t know he had <em>intimate relations </em>with would accompany them on a field trip.</p><p>He had to spend several hours with Leorio.</p><p>Just as he thought he’d be free from having to see the man on a daily basis during the play fiasco— he figured seeing Leorio less would help take his mind off the way things were moving between them.</p><p>He had the <em>worst luck </em>known to man.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes, okay. If you got the reference, I KNOW, but I couldn't resist the image of leopika kissing in a "sugar storm", sue me.</p><p>Thanks Kasey for letting me use your cool OC, Franny, as the even cooler janitor.</p><p>Next chapter: where the school trip actually happens, part II coming along next week!</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. love is the only drug we'll need</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the kids embark on the aquarium trip, Leorio is forced to make harsh choices when a shocking case comes up at work; and Kurapika makes a decision to ask Leorio about the secret box he's found and the timing of all three events might change things between them permanently.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>silly little aquarium trip</p><p><b>tw</b>: minor character death, traumatic injuries/hospitalization</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day of the trip, grades kindergarten, first, and a special portion of third and fourth graders who managed to maintain good academic grades and granted special invitations out of courtesy, had assembled outside the building at eight a.m in the morning.</p><p>"Ah. Don't you just love that smell?" Machi asked, "The sweet smell of death." She referred to the herd of children swarming like festering hermits.</p><p>Field trips were fun.</p><p>The pros, you weren't in the classroom for a day. The cons, you were still <em>on the clock</em>, even if you weren't <em>in </em>the building.</p><p>"Look who's here." Pakunoda smirked, Leorio was happily chatting with Melody, Basho, and Kite. “Your new bus partner.”</p><p>“Are you sure you guys don’t want to swap bus partners?” Kurapika asked. Each class would be assisted by a TA or a parent volunteer, and there were several that signed up to accompany them on the trip. For some reason, Cheadle designed that <em>Leorio </em>be assigned to <em>his </em>class along with Natasha.</p><p>“Sorry, we’re booked.” Machi said, “also, Pairo asked me to tell you why you’re giving him silent treatment.”</p><p>“I’m not obligated to answer that question because I’m giving him silent treatment.”</p><p>“Bestie problems?” Pakunoda asked.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t want to put their business on blast— also considering what said business <em>entailed </em>and how much chaos that would lead to.</p><p>“He knows what he did.” He settled with a vague response. He confronted Pairo, of course, and his response was along the lines of being terribly bored and he wanted to stir up a little more drama so he started with putting a single tip in the complaint box. <em>It was just one tip</em>, he said, just to see how people would react.</p><p>He didn’t think it’d blow up into this big thing where everyone’s secrets were being exposed left and right and had everyone side-eyeing each other like they knew something the other <em>didn’t</em>. But this was a <em>workplace</em>, there was <em>always </em>shit added to the brewing tea pot of secrets and the pot was practically overflowing so badly there was no way to stop it unless the source was eradicated.</p><p>Pairo promised he’d stop, as punishment, Kurapika refused to speak to him and that meant banishing his freeloading privileges in his apartment. He’s not going to forgive him for the <em>LP likes to be pegged </em>secret <em>especially. </em></p><p>The rules before loading the bus was that if anyone needed to pee, they needed to do it now. Kurapika emphasized that, and the majority of them said they didn’t need to pee. Once all the classes separated to start loading the buses, Kurapika expected within fifteen minutes into the bus ride they would start complaining about needing to go to the bathroom.</p><p>“What is that?” Kurapika asked when Killua and Gon headed on the bus with an abnormally large bump on their stomachs.</p><p>“Uh.” Killua and Gon panicked, “what is what?” Killua asked.</p><p>“Are you hiding something in your shirts?”</p><p>“No.” Gon began to sweat.</p><p>“Killua? Gon?”</p><p>“We stole snacks from the cafeteria!” Gon blurted out.</p><p>“Dang it Gon! You blew our cover!”</p><p>“I don’t like keeping secrets!”</p><p>Kurapika sighed, “can you explain <em>why</em>?”</p><p>“Killua wasn’t able to bring any lunch.” Gon said. “We didn’t like the school lunch they were giving us. So we took the snacks from the vending machine.”</p><p>“Gon’s allergic to PB&amp;J sandwiches, so he offered to give me at least <em>one</em> sandwich. I suggested we get some snacks.” Killua confessed.</p><p>All the kids wanted some the moment they sat down at the backseat, which vaguely reminded Kurapika of how the popular crowd would fill up the back rows simply because they wanted to talk among each other and Gon and Killua earned the reputation as the most popular kids in the class. Gon, of course, happily gave his snacks away and he had bought it all with the allowance Leorio gave him.</p><p>Komugi shyly requested that she sit with Meruem so she didn’t allow anyone to sit next to her, and the other kids respected that. They sat closer to the front, Natasha and Kurapika in the front. They were loud upon loading the bus and were reminded that they couldn’t sit in <em>three</em> or <em>more </em>and that they must sit with a bus partner, unless they prefer to sit alone there was space up front. No one really wanted to sit up front, even though Kurapika had teasingly asked if anyone wanted to keep the teachers company they all recoiled and turned down the offer to giggle and mess around.</p><p>“What’s going on with you and Pairo?” Natasha asked.</p><p>“So far everyone has asked me that!” Kurapika complained.</p><p>“Yeah because you two are like <em>this</em>,” Natasha emphasized with her hands close together, “you know, like a pair. You can’t have one half without the other.”</p><p>“Just because we don’t talk for a day doesn’t mean something drastic has happened. We’re busy people.”</p><p>“Something definitely did happen. You avoid him.”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes, “okay I trust you not to tell anyone.”</p><p>“Believe me I’m used to overhearing things that aren’t my business to the point where I have a crypt in my brain of said things.”</p><p>“Pairo put a stupid tip in the complaint box which he suggested get set up, so you know how everyone’s secrets have been exposed? Well now you know the reason.”</p><p>“Oh <em>wow</em>, okay.”</p><p>“I know. For some reason I can’t put it past him to do something so chaotic.”</p><p>“Is it really true that Mr. Hill caught herpes from some other kid’s parent or something?”</p><p>“I don’t know, ask Pairo, because he knows everything apparently!”</p><p>“Is this the right bus?” Someone else had jogged up the steps to the bus, just as Kurapika and Natasha were settling them down.</p><p>“Hi dad!” Gon exclaimed.</p><p>They were excited to see Leorio back again.</p><p>“Hey popular people!” Leorio smiled, “How you guys been?”</p><p>“Good!”</p><p>“Awesome!”</p><p>“You’re assigned to Kurapika’s class,” Natasha looked through an attendance sheet, “we have one chaperone and one TA for every class. You just made it.” she said.</p><p>“Oh thank God. I got carried away chit-chatting.” Leorio said. Kurapika was hoping he’d get lost and go on another bus. Since Natasha was sitting on the left side with her stuff beside her, Kurapika figured Leorio would ask her to move her things— but he sat right next to Kurapika. Not that the seat next to him was taken, in fact, all the other seats on the bus were occupied by the class.</p><p>“Is this seat taken?” Leorio asked anyway, just to jest around. The smell of his cologne hit Kurapika. He silently shook his head because he briefly lost the ability to formulate a proper sentence in reply.</p><p>“Now it is.” Kurapika joked back.</p><p>“Now that’s not a way to say hello after I made you cum like five times the other night.”</p><p>Kurapika blinked rapidly, cheeks reddening, “<em>what?</em>”</p><p>Leorio frowned, “I said <em>now that’s not a way to say hello to a familiar stranger</em>.”</p><p>Kurapika thought he might be going crazy. “O-Oh,” he laughed, “well the pleasure’s all mine.” As Pairo would like to say, somehow his voice echoed in Kurapika’s head despite his silent treatment, <em>Whorepika </em>strikes yet again. His brain’s coming up with these hallucinations of things Leorio was saying which he was definitely <em>not </em>saying at all— probably because he’s spent a week panicking over the mysterious woman in the photo without actually bringing it up to Leorio.</p><p>Kurapika was too afraid to tell him that he was doubting the fact that they dove headfirst into a relationship at all because of it.</p><p>“Everything okay?” Leorio asked.</p><p>Kurapika looked almost offended that he wasn’t doing a good job at being subtle about it, “why wouldn’t I be?”</p><p>“It’s just that you’ve been kinda avoiding me since last week. Like, not answering my texts or phone calls. Which is understandable, you have priorities. But at least I’d get a response or two back.”</p><p>“Just. A little busy.” Kurapika said, “with the trip and all, as I’ve told you.”</p><p>“I kinda asked Pairo if I did anything to upset you and he said he wouldn’t know because you’re giving him silent treatment apparently. Did something happen between you two?”</p><p>“That’s up for you to decide,” was Kurapika’s automatic response, “and nothing’s wrong. Between us, I mean.”</p><p>“If it’s about the whole grand gesture thing. I thought about it. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable,” Leorio laughed nervously, “I was just really happy that we could… be <em>more</em>.”</p><p>“I kind of missed the chocolates.” Saying this made Leorio a little relieved. Kurapika was being honest, but also because he wanted to ease Leorio’s worries and suspicion. “And the flowers were beautiful. But I must tell you, having to take care of an entire garden in my small apartment is a little overwhelming so I gave some to my co-workers as appreciation gifts.” They were all happy to have a bouquet of flowers to keep. He insisted they should have one and felt bad about hogging all of Leorio’s special gifts he kept sending to the school.</p><p>As much as Kurapika enjoyed the special treatment (guiltily) it’s not the most normal thing to get used to.</p><p>“Listen, I’d love to spread the love if I can.” Leorio insisted.</p><p>“Everyone wanted to be your Valentine because you got <em>everyone </em>flowers and chocolates, Mr. Leorio.”</p><p>“I’m a love-all-around kinda guy!”</p><p>Kurapika snorted. He admitted he missed having Leorio around so they could have chats like this… but… he just couldn’t help but question Leorio’s intentions. If them spending time together only scratched the surface of what he did know, and was that he felt the same way. Or if Kurapika was just arm candy, and nothing more.</p><p>Once it hit around eight thirty, Kurapika and Natasha had to do a headcount to make sure everyone was on the bus. Some of them were loudly talking and playing around, while some kept to themselves and quietly talked. He couldn’t sit and talk to Leorio the majority of the ride when they had to monitor over thirty kids, excluding those who weren’t able to make it; they had to accommodate for extra space in some buses for adding another class of students— who weren’t able to sit still for five minutes.</p><p>“I brought Willow!” Abdul happily exclaimed after Kurapika asked if anyone had brought lunch with them.</p><p>“What do you mean you brought <em>Willow?!</em>” Natasha asked.</p><p>“Who’s Willow?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Our pet pigeon we brought to show and tell!” Abdul said. “I wanted to bring her to the aquarium!”</p><p>“Pets aren’t allowed in the aquarium!” Natasha reminded him, she looked at Kurapika apologetically, “he really loves Willow, I’m sorry, I didn’t think he’d bring her along.”</p><p>Kurapika massaged his temples, “Abdul, where is she?”</p><p>“My backpack.” Abdul opened his bag, “I’ve been feeding her and let it unzipped a little so she has air to breathe—” Willow flew out of his backpack as he was talking, and everyone ducked as the pigeon soared across the bus. The first unfortunate person she ended up attacking was Leorio. Natasha and Kurapika scrambled to obtain Willow as she pecked at him and scratched him with her claws, flying away. They apologized to the baffled bus driver, chasing after Willow— like a bird going loose was a typical occurrence.</p><p>Natasha managed to grab her and give her back to Abdul, who had snacks ready in his backpack.</p><p>“Why did she attack <em>me?!</em>” Leorio asked, red marks from the pecking on his face.</p><p>“Willow doesn’t like strangers.” Abdul said, cradling her in his hands.</p><p>“Can we pet her?!” Gon asked. As if they didn’t go through Hell to catch Willow just a few moments ago.</p><p>“Sure!”</p><p>“No!” Natasha shut it down, “we can’t afford to have Willow fly off this bus or else we’d end up in big trouble.”</p><p>“She won’t fly out if we watch her.” Pokkle said. “She’s trained, isn’t she?”</p><p>“She is.” Abdul replied.</p><p>Kurapika sat back at the front, needing to catch his breath. “I’m sorry.” he whispered to Leorio, trying to touch his face, but Leorio winced at the throbbing pain.</p><p>“I’ve been pecked by angry geese before for eating bread in front of them, trust me, you don’t wanna get pecked by angry birds.” Leorio groaned.</p><p>“I had no idea that he smuggled his pet pigeon he brought to show and tell.” But then again, could anything be predicted when it came to these children?</p><p>To make the ride more bearable, Leorio asked the bus driver if he could put some music on the radio. While he was tuning to the right channel they’ve been singing nursery rhymes to make up for the lack of music the duration of the bus ride. They were singing this song about wiping out <em>tomato town</em> or something and when he asked Leorio he said the song was called <em>Chug Jug With You</em>.</p><p>"I've never heard this song in my life."</p><p>"Really?! You don't know the Fortnite song?!"</p><p>
  <em>"What makes you think I play Fortnite?"</em>
</p><p>"And Killua calls <em>me </em>the old geezer!"</p><p>Kurapika shoved him, "what does <em>that </em>mean?"</p><p>"You are <em>so </em>out of loop. All my patients in the pediatric ward sing this all the time!"</p><p>"We got the radio going." The bus driver announced. The kids cheered. If Kurapika had to hear them sing about the stupid tomato town song he's been hearing all week <em>one more time</em> he might lose it.</p><p>The occasional asking of <em>are we there yet</em> and the infamous <em>I have to pee </em>statements started rolling in and Kurapika already warned them this would be a nearly two-hour ride, and longer, because there was a lot of traffic on this highway.</p><p>"Can we pee at the McDonalds over there?" Pokkle asked.</p><p>"No." Kurapika said. "You're not allowed to leave this bus."</p><p>"What about using a bottle?" Zushi asked.</p><p>"Don't do that!" Leorio shouted, "that's gross! We don't pee in bottles unless we live in the wilderness and have no bathrooms!"</p><p>"But there's no bathrooms on this bus old fart!" Killua said, "where are we supposed to pee?!"</p><p>"Hold it in!"</p><p>"Why does water make you pee so much?" Gon whined.</p><p>"Helps you hydrate! Gets all that icky waste stuff out of your body, so I'd ditch all those sugary drinks and sodas you bring along with you." Leorio said. Half of them had said sugary drinks that'd send someone into cardiac arrest. "Drink a lot during the ride and you're gonna have to hold in a lot before we get there!"</p><p>They groaned and complained. Leorio was used to how troublesome they could get when restless, so he had to remind them not to give Kurapika and Natasha a hard time and keep it cool— and they’d be having lots of fun at the aquarium so they needed to sit tight and be patient.</p><p>Kurapika knew they were unable to contain their excitement so Leorio entertained them as he animatedly talked to them. They’re taking turns petting Willow and feeding her while they talked and remained in their seats. Kurapika could talk to Natasha in peace knowing that Leorio could easily keep them under control.</p><p>Sometimes they’d talk to the people driving beside them or pedestrians walking past through the open windows. Three loud motorcycles veered beside the bus and one of them had brushed against the side of the bus, causing it to rock to one side slightly— everyone had wobbled in their seats.</p><p>“Whoa!” Zushi pointed at the window, “did you guys see that?!”</p><p>“It’s a biker gang.” Killua stated.</p><p>“A what?” Kurapika stared out the window, “are you kidding me?!”</p><p>“Hey!” Leorio scrambled next to Kurapika so he could hover close to the window, admittedly, too close to Kurapika’s liking, “watch where you’re going!”</p><p>One of them had the audacity to flip the bird.</p><p>“What does that mean?” Ponzu asked.</p><p>“It’s a bad word.” Pokkle replied.</p><p>“I thought it just means he’s counting.” Gon said. “Like he’s just saying <em>one</em>.”</p><p>“Holding up your middle finger doesn’t mean you’re counting.” Killua told him. “When you count you count on all fingers.”</p><p>“What the heck?!” Leorio fumed, “the nerve of those guys!”</p><p>Natasha looked out the window, and she perked up, waving at them. "Oh my God he actually came with his friends!"</p><p>"Who came?!" Kurapika asked.</p><p>"My boyfriend!"</p><p>"<em>YOUR WHO?!" </em>Leorio and Kurapika blanched.</p><p>"He said he was driving around the freeway so," Natasha showed them a text on her phone, "this was their way of saying hi!"</p><p>“These damn motorcycle drivers.” The bus driver grumbled, “nearly put a dent in my bus!”</p><p>“Hopefully it isn’t damaged.” Kurapika slumped back in his seat when they sped ahead of them, the kids were fascinated by the mysterious biker trio decked out in all black clothing with different colored accents, one in the middle wearing a green jacket, the one on the left blue and the far right red. They seemed to be goofing off because the two on either side of the middle biker were doing tricks and doughnuts in the middle of the freeway, their tires screeching loudly in their tracks.</p><p>“Bye!” Gon waved, “aw, they looked really cool.”</p><p>“They’re whatever.” Killua mumbled.</p><p>Luckily no one was hurt after the minor mishap, and quickly their attention averted to things they spotted outside the window while driving through the highway.</p><p>Kurapika would admit he found it adorable when Leorio joined in on their little trivial games, and every time they coaxed Kurapika to join in on it they’d start booing when Leorio shamelessly flirted with Kurapika in front of them.</p><p>"I spy... with my little eye... something blue!"</p><p>"Zushi's shirt?"</p><p>"Nope!"</p><p>"The ocean outside?"</p><p>"It's inside this bus."</p><p>"Oh!" Gon pointed at the shark pin on Pokkle's backpack, "is it this?!"</p><p>"Yes!" </p><p>"Okay, my turn." Canary said, "I spy with my little eye something... old."</p><p>"Mr. Paladiknight." Killua immediately said.</p><p>"Don't bring me into the equation!" Leorio barked, Kurapika giggled behind his palm. </p><p>"It's an object. An old object."</p><p>"Is it Komugi's antique bracelet?" Alluka asked, sitting with Zushi. Nanika had her head peeking up from where they sat next to Abdul.</p><p>"How old is your bracelet?" Kurapika asked.</p><p>"My mom gave me this, she said it's like a hundred years old." Komugi said. </p><p>"My turn!" Nanika said, "I spy with my little eye... something green!"</p><p>Everyone instantly looked at Gon, but surprisingly, the boy wasn't wearing anything green today. He was wearing something <em>blue</em>, just a plain Yorknew elementary t-shirt and khaki shorts with white sneakers. They looked around and asked questions, until they settled on Ponzu's hat with a bee patch sown onto the side of it.</p><p>The game they played actually helped make the ride go more smoothly. There were times when they got <em>too loud </em>and he had to butt in and scold them about keeping the noise down.</p><p>Leorio actually moved because Nanika moved from Abdul to show Alluka something while she and Zushi were talking with each other, despite Kurapika's rules, they snuck around to sit with the other pairs and they begged Leorio not to tell him and he winked at them, promising he wouldn't. Gon wanted to show him the Pokemon game he's playing on his Switch he brought along, so Killua squeezed himself through the seat and wandered up to where Kurapika was sitting, talking to the bus driver about the clear weather.</p><p>"Hey, you." Kurapika smiled as Killua sat down next to him. "Aren't you sitting with Gon?"</p><p>"I wanted to ask you something."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>The students are happily chatting, so Killua didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing them. "Do you remember how we talked about pronouns and stuff on the first day of school? And then you told us your pronouns and how we should refer to each other, and stuff."</p><p>"Yes?" Kurapika took out a thermos from his bag so he could drink a little bit of water, "something you'd like to tell me?"</p><p>"Um."</p><p>Kurapika raised his brows. Killua tugged on the collar of his shirt.</p><p>"C-Can I try he/they pronouns?"</p><p>Kurapika nodded, "of course!"</p><p>"Wait, really?"</p><p>"If you want to be referred to as any pronouns, including the one I taught a brief lesson about, if you remember neopronouns, just let me know and I'll be glad to."</p><p>"I didn't know it was that simple."</p><p>Kurapika laughed, "if that's what you're comfortable with, feel free to have others use it. It is your right."</p><p>"I-I'm kinda nervous as to what the others would think..." Killua scratched his cheek, "I haven't even told Gon."</p><p>"No rush." Kurapika shrugged, "I kind of decided this when I turned thirteen," he laughed, "whenever you feel ready."</p><p>Killua nodded, "I know sitting with teachers is lame or whatever. But can I sit with you anyway?"</p><p>"You can." Kurapika said, "but it <em>is </em>a little lame." he teased.</p><p>"Whatever." Killua scoffed.</p><p>Gon had a bottle of Arizona in his bag and he suggested they play ninety-nine bottles of milk on the wall. The idea was that they threw the Arizona bottle to each person on the bus and they'd take turns counting down the "bottles of milk on the wall"— which in this case was a bottle of juice, but anything went. Sometimes the kids would drop the bottle and forget which numbers they were counting.</p><p>"What number were we on again?"</p><p>"Eighty-two."</p><p>"We just finished eighty-five." Killua said, "can you count?" he asked Pokkle.</p><p>"Yes I can count!"</p><p>"What's two plus two?!"</p><p>"Three plus your mom!"</p><p>"Cut it out!" Kurapika scolded the both of them, "any arguments and we have to end the game." Everyone begged to keep going. "The number we stopped on was eighty-six, so Killua is right."</p><p>"Who has the bottle?" Leorio asked, "we gotta keep the rhythm goin' or else it's gonna ruin the whole flow!"</p><p>"Me!" Ponzu said, and the bus started singing, "Eighty-four bottles of milk on the wall, eighty-four bottles of milk, take one down, pass it around, eighty-three bottles of milk on the wall!"</p><p>Ponzu threw it at Leorio and it accidentally hit him in the face. Kurapika let out the ugliest snort when everyone started giggling.</p><p>"It's just <em>attack Mr. Paladiknight </em>day isn't it, huh? First I get attacked by a pigeon and now a bottle of juice!"</p><p>Willow, currently perched on Abdul's shoulder, squawked at him.</p><p>"The heck are you lookin' at?!" Leorio sized up the pigeon. </p><p>"Careful, or she might attack you again." Kurapika teased.</p><p>Leorio clicked his tongue, "alright... where were we, are we ready?" They shouted yes, "eighty-three bottles of milk on the wall..."</p><p>They got to the Yorknew local aquarium shortly after the traffic had cleared up. They managed to get to five bottles of milk on the wall and built up a steady tempo, booing when the bus driver announced they were here and that they had to get off the bus. That all quickly changed because they were excited to finally leave.</p><p>“Wait!” Kurapika shouted at them the second the bus had parked, they were about to dash off the bus before he stopped them. “Make sure you don’t forget your belongings! The buses will not be staying here!”</p><p>“I dropped my fidget spinner!”</p><p>“I can’t find my ring pop!”</p><p>“Beep beep.” Leorio ducked through the aisle toward the back row, “what’s the hold up?!” he asked through all the complaining, “why’s everybody losing so much stuff?! We brought our backpacks along for a reason!”</p><p>“He’s a natural at this.” Natasha said in approval. “You said he used to teach med students?”</p><p>“He taught other residents,” Kurapika answered, but they were grown adults compared to young children. It’s a good thing he didn’t let them off the bus because they already lost things they brought along probably because it dropped under the seats. Leorio managed to help them find their stuff, easing any anxiety over accusations that it was stolen.</p><p>“Does everyone have their stuff now?” he asked one more time. Some of them asked to leave things behind because they didn’t want to drag it along, but he patiently told them no. When they replied they had their stuff, Kurapika and Natasha got off the bus first so Leorio could guide them off.</p><p>Natasha mentioned she and Abdul’s brother, Hashir, had worked here, so he’d be one of their tour guides— along with a woman named Weaver. They had bins where they could drop their things inside and line up at the lobby before separating with their respective groups and venture the large aquarium.</p><p>The tour guides were probably used to questions such as why the animals were trapped inside big glasses and why they couldn’t break inside to get them out. Hashir and Weaver explained that these exhibits were their natural habitat— thanks to the generous donations to conserve the aquarium life residing in these spaces that they were able to see them out in the open. The full access tour had meant they were able to actually pet some animals in the more interactive exhibits, which the kids were more than excited to be part of.</p><p>Some of the children were quite terrified and preferred to stay behind or stick to the animals being behind a glass in fear they’d get eaten. Killua was one of them, and Gon convinced him to pet the stingrays by dragging him closer to the exhibit. Leorio swayed the other kids by petting them himself and guiding their hands over.</p><p>“See? They’re not gonna eat you!” He said, watching the baby shark glide across his bare hand. Kurapika leaned over where Komugi was. She couldn’t see the tank the kids were petting in, and she was nervous to follow what everyone else was doing. He stood behind her and took her hands, Abdul telling the other kids what kinds of animals were in the tank swimming around.</p><p>“Would you and Meruem like to pet the animals?” He asked gently.</p><p>“I want to.” Komugi said, “but I can’t see them. So I’m letting Meruem pick out the ones he likes and I’ll pet that one.”</p><p>“Well which one does he like?”</p><p>“The starfish.”</p><p>Kurapika smiled, taking her hand and guiding it toward a passing starfish. She gasped when she felt it under her fingers, “this is a starfish,” he said.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Mhm.”</p><p>“Wow… Meruem says they feel really rough.”</p><p>“It’s their shell.” Kurapika said. “It’s for protection.”</p><p>The kids were screaming because Nanika picked up a baby shark and showed it to the other kids.</p><p>“Look what I have!”</p><p>“Don’t take the animals out the pool!” Hashir reminded them, “they need the air to breathe in this water!”</p><p>“But I wanna pet them!”</p><p>“You can pet them in the water.”</p><p>Everyone’s crowded around Abdul while he rambled on facts about the ocean creatures in the touch pool. Leorio would shout things like “whoa, did you see that?!” and match their enthusiasm whenever they saw an animal swim past. Most chaperones would just standby and observe the kids under supervision, but Leorio was being extremely interactive with them— and it was helpful for Kurapika, because it felt like he had extra helping hands in case things got out of hand and he looked like he <em>enjoyed </em>being around them. He felt a strange ache settling in his chest, how Kurapika’s class was growing attached to Leorio and saw him as a permanent part of their lives.</p><p>When they needed to go to the bathroom, they’d ask Leorio to accompany them, when it was time for their lunch break, they were offered fun-themed aquarium lunches free of charge out of courtesy for kids who didn’t have a full lunch meal— they’d ask him to sit with them, they’d ask for his help just as much as they asked Kurapika if they needed anything and treated him like he was a second teacher to their class, talked to him like he’d been with them for longer than two months total. He’s been spending so much time paying attention to the class that Kurapika didn’t have to worry about holding awkward conversations with Leorio most of the trip. Their curiosity spanned galaxies, so there was always something for the class to be engaged in.</p><p>Hashir asked if they wanted to see something cool, everyone disappointed to have to leave the petting pool but that switched the instant they were taken to the underwater tunnel.</p><p>“I was saving this part for last,” he explained, “it’s the best place here.”</p><p>He was right. The tunnel was <em>gorgeous</em>. It felt like walking into another dimension, herds of sea creatures traveled from one tube to another. The room was dimmed, save for the lights coming from the open exhibit within the tunnel. The ceiling had an open view of fish traveling in packs, coral reefs of various different shades and bright colors, painting the floor beneath them in neon lights.</p><p>Gon’s dragging Killua everywhere and Kurapika could tell the other boy was pretending that this all didn’t overwhelm him. He probably wasn’t used to going on such large field trips with other kids, being exposed to an environment he wasn’t used to. Leorio mentioned that he took Gon here a few times so this place was already familiar to the boy. At some point he let Gon wander off with Alluka and Nanika, as sometimes they’d meet up with their co-workers and their own groups to visit different exhibits according to their planned schedules. Killua lagged behind with Kurapika.</p><p>He wasn't sure when Killua took his hand, sometime after a large whale drifted across the ceiling view and everyone looked up in awe at the sight. Darkness took over the tunnel for a brief second, and Killua’s hand slipped into Kurapika’s.</p><p>“I’m not scared.” he pouted, “I’m just… not really used to seeing this stuff.”</p><p>Kurapika smiled, but he didn’t say anything that would make Killua feel more embarrassed. He held Kurapika’s hand though, sticking behind the rest of the class as his silent gesture of saying he could stick by Kurapika for as long as he wanted until he was ready to join the other kids. Killua’s not much of a people-person, and Kurapika understood that. The rest of them raced across the tunnel like they just discovered the seven wonders of the world.</p><p>"Do you really like him?” Killua asked. The gentle squeeze of his hand in Kurapika’s made him realize he’d been looking at Leorio, with Gon sitting on his shoulders while they pointed out the animals floating through the tunnel.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t say anything at first, “why do you ask that?”</p><p>Killua averted his gaze, “I don’t trust him.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“He could make you quit teaching. And then you’d end up running away together and leaving us.”</p><p>Kurapika sighed, “I could never.”</p><p>“Gon and I saw you two together.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Auntie Mito took us to some diner and we saw you there.” Killua said, “it is true.”</p><p>“Whatever you may think, he is not a bad man.”</p><p>“Anyone who has cooties is a bad man.”</p><p>Kurapika smiled a little, “That may be the case, but do you know why Mr. Paladiknight isn’t bad to me?”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“It’s because he cares about all of you.” Kurapika said, “so, so much. And I trust him. That’s why you should too.”</p><p>Killua mulled over his words briefly, “...that doesn’t mean I’m still gonna let that old man take you away from us.” he squeezed Kurapika’s hand again, “if he tries anything, he’s a dead man.”</p><p>“I figured you’d say that.” Kurapika chuckled. He thought about what Killua said, and what Leorio told him the time he visited him in his office, "hey, Killua?"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Mr. Paladiknight mentioned Mito had a date with a woman she met at a diner..."</p><p>"Oh." Killua said, "some business lady named Leila sat with us and now Mito has a girlfriend, I guess."</p><p>"So she's allowed to date but I'm not? So much for cooties awareness!"</p><p>"It's different!" Killua reasoned, "he's a pervy old man and Leila's actually cool. So it doesn't matter!"</p><p>"I thought the way it works is that it spreads between anyone who is romantic toward each other."</p><p>"W-Who cares how it spreads, the old man's dangerous."</p><p>Kurapika laughed, "he's not going to harm me."</p><p>“He’s not allowed to hurt you either.”</p><p>“Killua…” Kurapika ruffled his hair, “you must care an awful lot about your teacher, don’t you?”</p><p>“Hey! Quit it! I-I never said I cared that much! I’m just warning you about him!” Killua said, "plus Gon gets to have him around and stuff. I feel the same way about you the way he does about the old man."</p><p>Kurapika just about melted.</p><p>No one's ever called him a parental figure they were able to look up to before, because he always saw himself as the opposite. Outside of his job, he's more absent than anything and liked to be a recluse... but his job taught him to step out of his comfort zone as an authoritative figure.</p><p>"I'm not going anywhere." Kurapika promised. "I'll probably be here by the time you graduate and go on to middle school, and who knows, I might be your teacher again a year or two down the line." They're always switching around grades during their years of teaching, so he hoped by the time his class reached the fifth grade he'd see them again at least once.</p><p>“Don’t run too far!” Natasha called after the students trying to chase after the animals through the glass panels, “you have to stay with me, Mr. Sayed, Mr. Kurta and Mr. Paladiknight at all times!”</p><p>Gon’s laughing loudly while Leorio ran across the tunnel to follow the other students, still sitting on his shoulders.</p><p>Leorio’s playing it cool, just as Kurapika asked. He talked to all of the other teachers casually and only exchanged words with Kurapika when they were about to switch over to another exhibit and round up the class for head count checks.</p><p>He wasn’t jealous that Leorio’s attention was focused elsewhere, every now and then he’d throw a flirty remark Kurapika’s way to be a teasing little shit— but most of the time, he purposefully stayed out of Kurapika’s way and didn’t distract him from his job.</p><p>He still offered his assistance while maintaining a safe distance and Kurapika found himself hoping he’d get his attention a little more. He felt Leorio’s eyes on him undoubtedly when he tried to focus on what some of the kids were trying to show him when something cool caught their eye— and his heart pounded when he looked up curiously and saw that Leorio was looking at him. The only thing they could do was smile at each other and maintain a respectful distance or the children would start booing and hollering about cooties.</p><p>It shouldn't bother him so much.</p><p>It doesn't, he thought, as another employee shamelessly flirted with Leorio because she wanted to help show them around an exhibit she was more knowledgeable about. Now, Kurapika stood behind everyone because he was letting the staff members take over all the talking. But he could be a petty bitch when he wanted to.</p><p><em>Whorepika's</em> about to strike.</p><p>So he walked in front of one of the large cooling fans at the exhibit, knowing the winds would make his hair billow everywhere as he fanned himself dramatically with the extra worksheets he had in his hands. Leorio was in the middle of talking with the woman, but his eyes honed in on Kurapika so fast that it felt <em>so easy </em>and satisfying to watch her fume in embarrassment. Kurapika gazed directly at Leorio, then at the tour guide, <em>Gina,</em> a look that said: <em>I'm here to steal your man, bitch.</em></p><p>"You're staring, old man." Killua glared. Leorio blushed furiously. "Pervert."</p><p>"I wasn't staring!"</p><p>"Ahem!" Gina cleared her throat. "A-As I was saying..."</p><p>They went outside to tour through the outdoor exhibits so they could see more animals there as well. Hashir and Weaver let Gina take the lead as she gave a rundown of historical facts and fun interactive lessons about the herd of penguins they got to meet through their walk.</p><p>Kurapika enjoyed listening to them talk about their efforts to keep the animals here comfortable in their natural habitats. Some of them however grew bored quickly and wanted to touch and play with the animals again because they complained that all the talking was making their heads hurt. </p><p>He turned around and noticed another giant bump in Killua and Gon's clothes.</p><p>Bumps which <em>moved</em>, that is.</p><p>"Um," Weaver noticed something different about the penguins, "Where's Pina Colada and Tropicana?" she asked, referring to the penguins who each had names.</p><p>Kurapika turned around, giving that stern teacher glare, "Killua. Gon." He shut his eyes knowingly, inhaling deeply through his nose. The two boys bristled at the scolding tone. "Did you take Pina Colada and Tropicana?"</p><p>"No." Killua lied.</p><p>"We did!" Gon blurted, "we really wanted to pet them more before we left!"</p><p>"You don't just steal penguins from their habitat! Hashir and Weaver said not to take away <em>any </em>animals from their habitats."</p><p>"Nanika stole a starfish." Killua muttered.</p><p>"And I sincerely hope Nanika put that starfish back."</p><p>Killua didn't say anything. "C'mon." he told Gon, sighing. They carefully tugged the penguins from their shirts and went back to the boulder the penguins were hanging around on to place them back.</p><p>"Shall we continue?" Gina asked, irritably.</p><p>"Yes, please." Kurapika said, "I'm very sorry."</p><p>"Well I'd prefer it if you gave us your full cooperation and didn't disrupt the habitats." Gina said in her best <em>Karen </em>voice.</p><p>"We'll be sure it doesn't happen again." Kurapika could do that, too. He's dealt with Karens in and out of the classroom for five years, don't try it.</p><p>"Maybe if you supervised them better."</p><p>"I most definitely will, don't doubt it."</p><p>"Uh." Leorio looked at Natasha, "what's going on?"</p><p>Natasha looked at Leorio, a look that said: <em>are you seriously asking me that question</em>?</p><p>"We have people try to steal animals here all the time, so it's okay!" Hashir laughed, he beckoned for them to follow he, Gina, and Weaver, in case things got ugly. "Right this way!"</p><p>The outside exhibit ended when they entered the other side of the aquarium where they said goodbye to Gina (she said goodbye extra sweetly to Leorio and held him behind so she could give him her number and Kurapika fought the urge to call her out on <em>unethical behavior in the workplace</em>) and sat down in a dark, small theatre to watch an interactive slideshow on the history of the aquarium documenting the date of its establishment, the main objective, and the milestones they've hit in terms of caring for all kinds of wildlife in and out of the ocean.</p><p>The part they hated most was when they had to do schoolwork during the trip, the exploration part of the trip ended in exchange for an hour in the workshop at the science center just to give them a break from walking around for a good three hours. Hashir and Weaver introduced them to another scientist working closely with the other marine scientists, a dark-skinned woman with, puffy hair tied back into a ponytail, dressed in a lab coat, a Yorknew aquarium science center shirt, leggings, and tennis shoes. Gold hoop earrings on both ears.</p><p>"Hello everyone, I'm Thyma!" She brightly introduced herself, the class said hello back to her, "I'm a pharmaceutical scientist studying marine life on the side as research and I've been working with the YN aquarium for about... ten years now! We're going to be working together for the science center portion of your fun little aquarium trip! My partner has taken the other half of your class to the next room with Miss Weaver."</p><p>Though this had nothing to do with their classroom curriculum, it was still an educational trip. All they had to do was fill out worksheets regarding their favorite animals and a fun fact they learned about them through their aquarium trip. Weaver took half the class to another classroom with one of Thyma's co-workers, a pink-haired woman who went by the name of <em>Aina,</em> and Hashir and Thyma teamed up, as they were both on the same research team. They collectively decided to do a personality quiz with them to make up for the boring part of the trip, where they’d see which kind of sea animal they were.</p><p>“I got a shrimp?!” Leorio asked Thyma in shock, debacle surrounding the results of the quiz among the class.</p><p>"Yes!" Thyma answered.</p><p>"How?!"</p><p>"Seems like the results aligned with your preferences."</p><p>“We could be shrimp pals!” Abdul cheered.</p><p>“What did you get?” Killua sat next to Kurapika. This was likely the most Kurapika had seen Killua away from Gon, and the other boy didn’t seem to mind that much. He hung around Leorio and their other friends, coming to Killua when he felt like it to show him something.</p><p>“Um, a sea turtle.” Kurapika looked at his results because he was given a worksheet.</p><p>“I got a zebrafish.” Killua pouted.</p><p>“Those are cool.”</p><p>“Yeah, but Gon got Nemo.”</p><p>“All the kids wanted Nemo. They should be happy with their results.”</p><p>"Y'know getting all these weird animals means you're unique." Hashir reassured them, "getting something common as other people makes it less easier to stand out."</p><p>“Because Nemo isn't <em>lame.</em>" Killua complained.</p><p>“So are zebrafish.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“At least you didn’t get a shrimp.” Leorio grumbled. He showed Kurapika his worksheet, “this quiz is a load of fiddlesticks.” he always made sure to watch his language around them and it tugged at Kurapika’s heartstrings.</p><p>“Shrimps are quite adorable.” Kurapika snorted. “Stop complaining. Abdul is happy to match with you.”</p><p>“What the heck makes me similar to a shrimp?!”</p><p>“What were you expecting to get?”</p><p>“Something that ain’t a shrimp!”</p><p>“What’d you get?” Kurapika asked Natasha.</p><p>“A seahorse!” Natasha said excitedly.</p><p>“Even that’s better than mine.” Leorio sighed.</p><p>“You could take it again.”</p><p>“The first results are usually most accurate…”</p><p>“I wouldn’t take a quiz that has no correlation to your actual personality seriously.” Kurapika consoled.</p><p>"Who wants to do another lab experiment?" Thyma offered, "it's hands on! My favorite part of the science center when we work with other schools, of course, next to petting the animals."</p><p>"Me me me me!"</p><p>"Carefully line up!" Kurapika yelled after them as they ditched their seats to go to the lab room.</p><p>"Also," Thyma shuffled up to them to remind them, "the lab might get a little messy."</p><p>"What we doin'?" Leorio asked.</p><p>"Surprise." She winked.</p><p>The perks of the science center was that there were hands-on experiments, so they got to make flubber and corn starch— always coming to the rescue with an activity that would prevent them from becoming too restless and itching to do something hands-on again like the touch pool. Killua started throwing corn starch around, and at least that told Kurapika he was feeling a little less overwhelmed by being in a place he wasn’t familiarly comfortable in, hanging more around Gon again, and it made Kurapika less worried that he wasn’t enjoying himself. Still, they weren’t supposed to be throwing their handmade creations at each other like this was a food fight. They ended up making a mess of the workshop’s classroom.</p><p>Thyma explained what the material was used for while Hashir did a demonstration. The kids were having too much fun smacking their hands in the slimey substance and holding it up in their hands, already dirtying themselves.</p><p>Leorio’s loud laughter was contagious, even if he was a mess from head to toe from oobleck, the kids already made a mess of themselves and by default Kurapika got the slime on his clothes from trying to get them all cleaned up. He playfully flicked some of the slime on Leorio’s face.</p><p>“Oh, so you wanna play dirty?” Leorio asked, “I thought you were supposed to be setting a good example for everyone.”</p><p>“You don’t have to whine about it.” Kurapika teased. Leorio dipped his hands in the oobleck, his hands covered the green liquid.</p><p>“You’re asking for it now.” Leorio threw the corn starch at Kurapika. It’s much less discipline at the slime-throwing fiasco and rather it being greatly encouraged, every man for themselves as they mercilessly threw corn starch at each other.</p><p>They’ve been acting like <em>colleagues </em>for not even a full day and they were already throwing oobleck at each other like lifelong friends. It’s terrifying— because it all felt so <em>normal</em>.</p><p><em>It won’t last</em>— the voice at the back of his head reminded him. Once he realized he was better than all of this, he’d go searching elsewhere. This was temporary, and maybe Kurapika was believing in some false hope that Leorio was in it for the long-haul and not trying to fill in an empty void with something worthwhile.</p><p>There’s no space for something more when that picture frame’s already filled up. But he continued to let himself get carried away by the little chances he interacted with Leorio through the remainder of the trip. They really liked Thyma and were reluctant to say goodbye to her, but she said she'd be here if they ever chose to come back as Hashir met up again with Weaver to take over the tour again.</p><p>"Everyone have fun?" Weaver asked. Their responses were loud and energetic, meaning that they did, "you guys really made a mess, huh?"</p><p>Kurapika realized he hadn't done a head count since the last few exhibits and found out Pokkle and Ponzu were missing from the bunch.</p><p>"Fuck." He bit his thumb, "Oh no..." he looked at the rest of the Pickled Pepper squad, (honestly, using this name made it so much easier to identify the particular bunch) "have you seen Ponzu and Pokkle?"</p><p>"They went the other way, I think." Canary said.</p><p>"<em>Which other way</em>?"</p><p>"Pokkle dropped something. Ponzu went after him to go find it." Zushi added. </p><p>Kurapika separated from the main group, dashing across the hall when he bumped into someone's hard chest and nearly fell over. </p><p>"Beep beep!" <em>Christ it's just Leorio</em>. "I just went for a bathroom break."</p><p>"Our students are missing." Kurapika said.</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>"Ponzu and Pokkle wandered off."</p><p>"Well they couldn't have gone any far, we can just ask around."</p><p>"We need to <em>quick </em>or else we'd have to consult administration!"</p><p>"Uh, okay, okay." Leorio nodded quickly, and Kurapika stared at his jeans. </p><p>"Your fly is down."</p><p>"Fuck, sorry."</p><p>Kurapika ran ahead, getting a head start. Leorio followed him. They started by asking around if they saw anyone matching their descriptions, they didn't get any luck because the place was crowded on this particular warm Spring afternoon. They checked other school groups, asked some tour guides and other employees, one of the staff members mentioned a kid with a black beanie and another with a bee patch on her large hat were seeing roaming near the shark exhibit and blended in with another group. Leorio and Kurapika thanked them, turned out they'd wound up at another branch of the fucking building and they radioed the staff member in charge of the group that two of the people there might not belong with them.</p><p>The man had come out holding their hands and Kurapika and Leorio let out the biggest sighs of relief.</p><p>"Where were you two?!" Kurapika asked.</p><p>"I dropped one of my pins and Ponzu helped me find it." Pokkle explained, "but then we got lost and couldn't find everyone so we asked some other group and went with them."</p><p>"We're actually on our way to the gift shop now," Leorio told them, "good thing we found you kiddos. Look at that, instead of going places alone you stuck with another group of trusted people. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have found you."</p><p>"It's my fault," Kurapika said, "I didn't do a head count."</p><p>"That's fine, we can just round them up before we get to the gift shop." Leorio looked down at his watch, "we got fifteen minutes to spare doing some more cool exploring stuff, then they'll all be in one place so we wouldn't have to worry about them running off too far."</p><p>Kurapika nodded. They guided Ponzu and Pokkle where Hashir and Weaver last took them. They didn't move very far since Kurapika left, in fact, they're finishing up their worksheets in the meantime.</p><p>"Okay! Before we move on! We gotta do a headcount, round up, kiddos." Leorio announced. They scrambled into two separate lines so Kurapika, Natasha, and Leorio could count them all, and when the total counted up to the two combined classes in their single group, they gave the cue to keep moving along.</p><p>"Hey." Killua said to the others, "I gotta tell you guys something."</p><p>"What's up?" Gon asked.</p><p>Killua looked back at Kurapika, who nodded at him.</p><p>"Can you guys refer to me using he/they pronouns?"</p><p>It took a hot second, Killua rocking on the balls of his feet and his hands shoved in his pockets.</p><p>"Sure!" Gon nodded.</p><p>"Okay." Canary said. Everyone else was okay with it as well. Killua's eyes sparkled and he was almost on the verge of tears before he quickly wiped his eyes with the sleeve of the jean jacket he was wearing.</p><p>"I thought you guys would think it's weird."</p><p>"Why would it be?" Zushi asked.</p><p>"You're our friend." Gon said, "that doesn't change anything anyway. You're still my best friend. I like Killua a lot and they're super awesome!"</p><p>"Gon..."</p><p>"That's awesome, Killy!" Alluka praised. </p><p>"Can I go by that too?" Pokkle asked.</p><p>"You can do whatever you want." Killua smirked, "that's just how cool it is."</p><p>It was late afternoon when they left the jellyfish exhibit for the last stop, the aquarium’s gift shop. It’s the only time of the day all groups which represented their school were able to meet up in one place again and line up to head into the gift shop or make last-minute stops at the exhibits nearby if they didn’t feel up to buying any gifts and preferred to explore. There was a restroom as well, so it wasn’t a long walk to find one unlike before without it interfering with their exploration time.</p><p>Some of them didn’t have the money to get any gifts, so Kurapika used whatever cash he had saved up to ask them if they wanted anything— it had to be one thing only, and he’d buy it for them. Gon insisted he get himself a sea turtle, like what he got for the personality quiz they took earlier.</p><p>"It wouldn't be fair of you to get us something without getting something yourself." Gon frowned.</p><p>"I don't have to."</p><p>Gon's puppy face made Kurapika give in and take the cute sea turtle plush he showed Kurapika.</p><p>Most of them settled on toys and not anything too expensive. Leorio bought them a few things as well. Killua claimed he didn’t want anything, but he kept subtly eyeing a shark plush and lied when Kurapika asked him if he was absolutely sure he didn’t want anything.</p><p>He went and got it for Killua anyway when he and Gon left for the fish exhibit. A good chunk of the students came out of the gift shop with tons of merch. He told Gon to give it to Killua and placed a finger on his lips.</p><p>Gon nodded, pretending to zip his lips shut. Kurapika winked at him. Gon ran off with the shark toy, excited to give it to his best friend.</p><p>"Aw, how cute." Pairo said, touching the tiny paw on Kurapika's sea turtle. He had on a Yorknew elementary t-shirt, it wasn't advised that all teachers going <em>had</em> to wear it but it was so that students could point them out in case they got lost by the color of their staff shirts, which were bright blue with zodiac signs listed above the logo. Kurapika thought they were too tacky so he skipped on wearing them and it was too hot to wear their sweatshirts in sixty degree weather yet some of them did in case it got cold.</p><p>"I'm not speaking to you." Kurapika stuffed it in his backpack.</p><p>"Who gave it to you?"</p><p>"Gon did." He didn't have the heart to say no about buying it.</p><p>"I miss bothering you. I've been begging Machi and Paku to convince you to forgive me and they told me you weren't budging! Everyone keeps asking why we aren't talking!"</p><p>"Oh that's you and me both." Kurapika jeered. "You do realize why I <em>am </em>giving you silent treatment? Something along the lines of <em>setting up the complaint box </em>and keeping it a secret from your best friend?"</p><p>“I thought it would be funny." Kurapika stared at him. "I promise I didn't mean anything bad by it. Now how long are you gonna ignore me for?" Pairo questioned.</p><p>Kurapika was honestly too exhausted from the trip to keep the charade up for any longer, “make it up to me and I’ll maybe reconsider forgiving you.”</p><p>"I'll get you your favorite food?" Pairo clasped his hands together.</p><p>"....then I'll reconsider."</p><p>“To be fair, the last few tips haven’t even been from me.”</p><p>“Still the mess <em>you’ve </em>caused.”</p><p>“You have to admit Netero having a thing with grandpa Zoldyck’s gotta be the best hot tea we’ve gotten like, all week.”</p><p>Kurapika snorted, and Pairo nudged his arm.</p><p>“So, how was the trip with LP?” he crooned.</p><p>“It was fine.”</p><p>“<em>Just </em>fine?”</p><p>“Do you expect him to confess his undying love for me? We’ve only been at this for like, two weeks.”</p><p>“Imagine if that happened? <em>Oh, doctor</em>!” Pairo gasped dramatically, <em>“you shouldn’t have</em>, but I’m just a fragile teacher barely making ends meet and you’re <em>so </em>successful! We live in two different worlds!”</p><p>“I’m going to go back to giving you silent treatment.” Kurapika said, infuriated, “you’re treading very fast back on thin ice.”</p><p>“Don’t tell me you haven’t thought of a cinematic love confession, live a little, you deserve a bit of a shoujo anime love story.”</p><p>Kurapika had. Many times. Blame those damn Nicholas Sparks movies. “We threw corn starch at each other, if that means anything.” he gestured to the dried mess on his clothes, his shawl and his black long-sleeved shirt covered in green streaks of oobleck slime.</p><p>“So I’m guessing you’re still going along with it?”</p><p>“I don’t know. But I really liked having him with our class. They love him, Pairo, and I’m screwed. It’s not like I can avoid him even if I try when he’s already slam dunked himself right into everyone’s lives.”</p><p>“That chick hiding under his bed won’t be going anywhere either.” Pairo reminded him.</p><p>Kurapika sent him a look, “<em>my point exactly.</em>”</p><p>Pairo smiled slyly. “You’re never able to stay mad at me for long. I’m just that much of a powerful impact on your life, I know, it’s hard to accept.”</p><p>“I hate that it’s true.” Kurapika muttered. “I’m not going to get my hopes up.”</p><p>“Sure, sure, let me know when he invites you over to make more slime together.” Kurapika shoved him and he laughed, trying to make light of the whole situation at hand here. He still hadn’t asked Leorio yet, and the fun they had at the workshop told Kurapika that maybe he should leave it on the back burner and hope that the lingering urge went away and just <em>enjoy </em>what they had going on currently— or if he should knock some sense into himself that he’s possibly someone’s second choice and an afterthought, and he’s letting himself get carried away because he’s a hopeless romantic at heart.</p><p>"Did you know Natasha was dating a biker?" Kurapika asked.</p><p>"Why, did you find out this morning?" Pairo questioned.</p><p>"...Did you already know that too?"</p><p>"'Course I did silly! I'm friends with some of the bikers who go to that bar at that shady district at the edge of town."</p><p>
  <em>"How much do you know?"</em>
</p><p>“Aw man I’m <em>exhausted</em>,” Basho yawned, him and Melody joining them. Him and Melody were wearing aquarium hats, “what time is it?”</p><p>“Three forty-two.” Melody said. “We have twenty more minutes to shop and explore.”</p><p>Kite was holding an abnormal amount of aquarium merch in his hands. "I'm having a great time." He told them.</p><p>He actually gave Machi an octopus and Pakunoda a starfish.</p><p>“If anyone needs me, I’m gonna go sit.” Basho pointed at the soft cushion benches where some of the guests waited.</p><p>“Wait, Kite! I want a plush!” Pairo chased after the man. Kurapika snorted.</p><p>He very badly wanted to sit, too. But he rolled his shoulders and tried to suck it up for a little longer. All the other teachers were talking with their students either near the restroom, gift shop, or the surrounding exhibits, practically scattered around the main lobby. He passed the time to let them hang around the exhibits in moderation because depending on the grade, the younger children required the most supervision while the older children were free to wander as long as they came back to the gift shop by the time they had to leave.</p><p>“Where’s your stuffed toy?” Melody asked, she’s holding a shark in her arms.</p><p>“In my backpack.” He not-so-subtly gazed over at Leorio playing guessing games with Alluka and Nanika, Canary and Amane watching the fish swim around the large tubes and pointing at the glass, holding hands. Killua was showing Gon a water wiggler he got from the gift shop, Pokkle, Abdul, and Ponzu talking about animals, and Zushi explained to Komugi the animals they were looking at in vivid detail.</p><p>“I noticed whenever Leorio’s around, your heartbeat’s faster than normal.”</p><p>Kurapika blinked at Melody, blushing, “w-what?”</p><p>“<em>Nothing,</em>” Melody sang, “I’m going to go check if the buses arrived.” Remembering that the woman could read people’s energies was terrifying, and she didn't have to do palm readings in order to do so either.</p><p>“Oh my God look what Kite gave me, Pika!” Pairo sobbed, showing Kurapika a penguin, “he gave me a penguin! It’s so cute, look look look!”</p><p>Kurapika smiled so wide his cheeks hurt.</p><p>Pairo does kind of remind him of penguins anyway, for some odd reason.</p><p>The Yorknew teachers stayed by the gift shop, separated from other schools who were here on a trip as well, and they talked to each other and used the area as a resting spot while waiting for the buses to arrive.</p><p>Shalnark was telling them stories about their tour and that they got to see dolphins which some of them <em>didn’t </em>get to do, and he’s wearing a Yorknew aquarium baseball cap one of his students actually bought for him. They weren’t going anywhere and were being supervised so Kurapika asked Natasha to watch the class so he could quickly use the restroom because he didn’t have the time to. He remembered Leorio taking any students who wanted to see the sea exhibits to and back from the gift shop and since then Kurapika hadn’t seen him in close proximity.</p><p>He came out of the hallway sectioned off to the side where the restrooms were, wiping his hands off. As soon as Gon saw him he came running up to him to tell him what they saw today. Kurapika was too exhausted to follow them to anymore exhibits so he resorted to staying near the gift shop in case they needed anything.</p><p>“It was <em>super </em>big! Like the biggest whale ever!”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah! I wanted to ride on it, y’know like a dragon!”</p><p>“There you are!”</p><p>Kurapika turned around, Leorio had just come out of the gift shop. He’s holding a shrimp plush in his hands.</p><p>"So Kite just gave me a shrimp! He's going around giving the teachers who don't have anything stuffed toys, so..." Leorio laughed nervously, "I thought I'd just give it to you, since you seemed to like them more than I did."</p><p>Kurapika's eyes sparkled. The shrimp plush was adorable, but the way Leorio cradled it in his arms was breathtaking.</p><p>At this point every teacher had at least one plush toy. Kurapika didn't have the heart to tell Leorio he already had one Gon suggested he buy for himself.</p><p>He looked at Leorio then the shrimp toy's beady little eyes and <em>melted</em>.</p><p>"Thanks." Kurapika smiled, taking the shrimp plush from Leorio.</p><p>
  <em>I don't have the heart to tell you that I'm not good enough for you. </em>
</p><p>"You're very sweet."</p><p>Leorio pushed his fingers together with a bashful laugh, "d'aww, you're makin' me feel all embarrassed. I noticed how exhausted you were today and thought I would do something nice. I also got corn starch on you, so, sorry about that…"</p><p>"I started it." Kurapika said. Since he selfishly wanted Leorio's attention to himself, "if anything I deserve it."</p><p>They stared at each other. It's the first time they properly talked all week and it felt like figuring out how to talk normally again after time much longer had passed.</p><p>
  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/185030501@N07/51042902813/in/dateposted-public/">  </a>
</p><p>"The buses are here." Melody informed them. Everyone had to come back to the gift shop and line up so they could file out of the aquarium one by one. They were given gifts on the way out thanking them for coming, saying goodbye to their tour guides.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The kids were passed out on the bus ride back, leaning over each other's shoulders and snoring away loudly.</p><p>Kurapika slumped in his seat next to Leorio. "Oh my God."</p><p>Leorio slowly sat down next to him, smiling fondly at the way Killua and Gon were leaning on each other, sleeping soundly.</p><p>"Long day, huh?" He asked, quiet. The bus driver kept the music to a low volume, the traffic clear on the ride back to school. They were cautious not to wake the students.</p><p>Kurapika nodded.</p><p>"I work longer shifts than this, so I'm used to it." Leorio said. It made sense how he could run around with them for eight hours without breaking a sweat. But he's been basically trained to work overnight in hospitals for years that his ability to stay energized came so naturally. Kurapika admired that. After their regular six-hour-days he was already ready to drop dead.</p><p>"How do you do it?"</p><p>"Lots of coffee, determination, and regret." Leorio said. "Can't fall asleep when you gotta save lives."</p><p>Kurapika rested a hand on his cheek, shifting his body so he could face Leorio and lean back against the seat. The bus ride was a little bumpy, rocking slightly back and forth. "I don't think that works on me anymore."</p><p>"So what do you run on?"</p><p>"Spite, perhaps?"</p><p>Leorio chuckled. "I had fun with you guys."</p><p>Kurapika's eyes grew heavy-lidded. Natasha was already fast asleep, earbuds on to listen to music. He and Kurapika were probably the only ones awake.</p><p>"...it's weird, I have more fun here on my days off than my actual job." Leorio said. "We've been dealin' with an injured patient, and well— I don't wanna get into it. But this has been a breather, and I like being part of this community."</p><p>Kurapika nodded, jaded.</p><p>"I like being co-workers with you. It makes me feel closer to you, y’know?" Leorio was just rambling on at this point, because Kurapika was on the verge of falling asleep.</p><p>"I like being…" Kurapika yawned, "co-workers with you too." He whispered, poking Leorio's side. "I like <em>you</em>."</p><p>"We make a good team don't we?" Leorio smiled fondly. "I like you too."</p><p>
  <em>I like us like this. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A little too much. </em>
</p><p>Kurapika's eyes fluttered shut and he leaned on Leorio's shoulder, yawning again as he succumbed to slumber. He didn't feel Leorio budge or nudge him awake at all, instead, he let Kurapika leave his head on his shoulder, relaxing against the seat.</p><p>Leorio nudged him awake when they were nearing the school. He cursed at himself for falling asleep and berated Leorio for refusing to wake him up when he had a <em>class </em>to maintain. But he realized that all of them had been asleep the entire ride and weren’t up to any trouble, for once, Kurapika was able to breathe.</p><p>It’s one of those nights Pairo <em>wasn’t </em>crashing, so he spent it working on next week’s lesson plan instead. He liked to be ahead and just because things were paused due to field trip activities didn’t mean he had to ignore work to be done within the classroom. He had a nice bath and changed into a comfortable tank top and shorts.</p><p><em>You should tell him. </em>Pairo’s words echoed in his head. He sighed, unable to focus any longer.</p><p>He remembered falling asleep on Leorio’s shoulder. Kurapika pulled out a cigarette on the coffee table and lit it up, resting his head against the back of the couch. Back home they often sat on the floor while they did their work and Kurapika fell into the habit of sitting on the ground instead of using his actual work desk in his bedroom.</p><p>There was a knock on his apartment door. Toodles woke up from the noise, creeping over to rest her head on Kurapika’s thigh. He smoothed down her head and she licked his palm.</p><p>“Might just be Pairo,” he murmured— standing up. He ruffled his hair back, putting out the cigarette and approaching the door to open it.</p><p>It wasn’t Pairo.</p><p>“Hey.” Leorio stood outside his doorway. He's wearing a plain black tank that outlined his muscles greatly, muscled arms that flexed when he shoved it in the pockets of his gray sweats, socks and Adidas sandals on, his gold cross necklace dangling from his neck and the way the dimmed lights cascaded on his sculpted figure made Kurapika's throat dry. He frowned. Leorio <em>rarely </em>came over unless Kurapika needed some help with his work, and they both knew what <em>that</em> usually led to. Kurapika barely getting work done and instead, spread eagle on his bed with Leorio on top of him— <em>anyway</em> it’s been a <em>hot minute.</em></p><p>He blinked. “Hey…” he saw Leorio sniff a little, catching a whiff of old cigarettes, “sorry, um, the window’s open. I wasn’t expecting company.” Leorio knew he was a smoker but he never liked to do it openly unless permission was granted. Smoking around other people in public was different if it <em>wasn't</em> the hookah bar he and Pairo went to sometimes.</p><p>“You're fine. And... I know. I don’t mean to show up unannounced. Pietro and Zepile are over.” Leorio explained, “I told them I was gonna step out to grab some milk.”</p><p>“I’d <em>hate</em> to give up the milk in my fridge…” Kurapika joked, quietly scolding himself in his head. <em>Real smooth, Pika. </em>Leorio laughed anyway.</p><p>“I already got the milk. I just wanted to make a pit stop.”</p><p>Kurapika looped his thumbs in his shorts, “is something the matter?”</p><p>“...It’s… been a<em> really hard</em> week, actually.” Leorio said.</p><p>"Is it work?"</p><p>"It's nothin', talkin' about it would just be too depressing and ‘cause who cares yanno?"</p><p>"I do." Kurapika insisted. He saw something pained flash in Leorio's eyes before he shook his head.</p><p>"I just wanted to thank you. For making it a little better.” He said, evading the real topic at hand. Kurapika willed himself to let it go.</p><p>“Of course.” Kurapika nodded. “You know how Yorknew welcomes you there like you’re part of our team now.”</p><p>“I really appreciate it. I thought a lot about how you want things to be between us, too. Maybe I’m overthinking everything.” he chuckled, “we’re cool, aren’t we?”</p><p>Kurapika hesitated for a split second, “yeah.” They are because Kurapika said so, but that wasn’t exactly the case. “It means a lot to everyone you’re able to spend time with them. They like you a lot.” He said, “almost like they want you to stay with them.”</p><p>“Well Cheadle says if she needs a chaperone for anything else, I’d be the first to know.” Leorio said.</p><p>“Thanks for coming.” Kurapika rested both hands on the door.</p><p>"Kurapika."</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>"It took me a second, but I know that you were jealous of Gina."</p><p>Kurapika snorted, "<em>pfft</em>, <em>what? </em>That other blonde tour guide? I could never."</p><p>"<em>You </em>said to play it cool at work, but you just about side-eyed every other tour guide I talked to."</p><p>"I was <em>not</em>!"</p><p>"Yeah, you were. If I'm so irresistible you should admit it to me instead of keeping it lowkey, which frankly, you're terrible at doing. No offense."</p><p>"I was not keeping anything <em>lowkey,</em>" Kurapika begrudingly quoted, "you might be popular but I don't see the hype." He's a terrible liar, also. Leorio snorted.</p><p>"It's okay to be in denial, I get it."</p><p>"Your ego is so massive it's depressing."</p><p>"But you love it."</p><p>"Shut up." Kurapika scoffed, "I have work to do, stop loitering at my door and go away." he laughed.</p><p>“Do you… do you like having me around the kids?” Leorio asked suddenly.</p><p>Kurapika did.</p><p>A lot.</p><p>“They trust you…” He said, trying his best to be vague. Leorio approached him past the threshold.</p><p>“But what about you, Sunshine?” he asked ardently.</p><p>Kurapika’s breath hitched.</p><p><em>Do you like having me around? </em>Was the question his eyes were asking, not what his lips were saying— and what Kurapika was staring at.</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>Leorio tilted Kurapika’s head up to look at him from his chin, “good,” he whispered, and their lips met softly. They stayed put where they stood, the kiss chaste, and then it turned heated— Kurapika tilted his head and his hands touched Leorio’s arms. Leorio licked over the roof of his mouth with his tongue, framing his cheeks in his callous hands.</p><p>“Mm— Leorio—” Kurapika sighed reverently into the kiss.</p><p>“I missed this.” Leorio’s hand gripped Kurapika’s backside. They shifted so that Kurapika’s back hit the wall and he tasted a hint of mint on Leorio’s lips, hands roaming as much as they could and getting back into the feel of kissing so <em>freely </em>again.</p><p>They didn’t go any further than that, stopping themselves with little kisses that yield between each breath.</p><p>Leorio’s hands reached and tucked Kurapika’s hair behind his ear, the action done absentmindedly but it sent Kurapika’s nerves over the edge. His fingers delicately scratched the back of Leorio’s scalp at the hairs above his neck, noses brushed together sweetly. They kissed one last time, Leorio’s heartbeat soothing against Kurapika’s hands when they rested against his chest.</p><p>“Goodnight.” Leorio murmured, pulling away.</p><p>“Goodnight.” Kurapika saw him out the door, biting his lip. He closed the door, turning his back against the door and sinking down until he sat on the ground.</p><p>He’s so screwed that it’s going to be <em>so hard </em>to pull the brakes on this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika's phone went off twice while he was up shamelessly catching up on Bisky's latest fanfic update so he could text the group chat about it. He had it muted in case they talked about any fucking spoilers he wasn't aware of. He was so <em>immersed</em> in a steamy paragraph that the text messages scared the ever-living shit out of him.</p><p>Shit. It's Leorio.</p><p>Kurapika hesitantly opened the messages.</p><p><strong>LP 🩺❤️ [3:38 A.M]: </strong>oh, sunshine</p><p><strong>LP 🩺❤️ [3:38 A.M]: </strong>i want you so badly... wish i can kiss you again, and i'm still up thinking about it...</p><p><strong>LP 🩺❤️ [3:38 A.M]: </strong>[img]</p><p>
  <em>Sweet mother of Jesus that's a large bulge in his sweatpants he's holding.</em>
</p><p>Kurapika was sent into gay panic at nearly four a.m in the morning by the sudden text messages.</p><p>Fuck. Fuck.<em> Fuck.</em></p><p>That happened.</p><p>
  <em>Quick. Think of something, Pika!</em>
</p><p>It's either he responded or ignored it, either way, he didn't turn off his fucking read receipt for the sole purpose of letting people take the hint that he just wasn't in the mood to respond to text messages.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [3:39 A.M]: </strong>cool beans </p><p>He shut off his phone and shoved his face into his pillow. Toodles woke up, startled when she heard him scream.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Did you tell him yet?"</p><p>"Tell him what?"</p><p>"About what you <em>saw</em>."</p><p>"No," Pairo treated him to his favorite Halal food and they were on the couch, plastic bags and empty boxes surrounding them with stuffed appetites. "I need your help."</p><p>"Knew you were gonna need me eventually." Pairo patted his thigh.</p><p>"We're kind of… good now. I don't want to ruin that." Kurapika shifted so that his head was in Pairo's lap. "Did you know he gave me a stuffed shrimp?"</p><p>"...yeah, sounds like he's got it <em>bad</em>."</p><p>Kurapika sighed. Pairo started to stroke his hair.</p><p>"Pika, just talk to him. Sometimes things can be worked out by <em>just </em>talking."</p><p>"I try to and then I get nervous and forget all about it."</p><p>"Are you <em>sure </em>you don't need me to talk to him?"</p><p>"Pairo, <em>no</em>."</p><p>"Why?!"</p><p>"Because I don't <em>trust </em>you."</p><p>"I'll just tell him that you have a lot on your plate!"</p><p>"You go overboard when you try to wedge yourself into my problems, like when you told Dara I wanted to fuck him because he's so hot and that we should get to know each other."</p><p>"Well you weren't gonna tell him that yourself because you were too busy watching him sexily kick around a soccer ball! <em>And </em>it worked out well! Sometimes you gotta be straight-forward."</p><p>"Sometimes saying nothing is better."</p><p>"I don't know, suck his dick then."</p><p>"Sucking dick doesn't solve all your problems."</p><p>"Like last week you were telling me how you deepthroated nine and a half inch—"</p><p>"—<em>I said what I said</em>!" Kurapika hissed, lifting his head from Pairo's lap, and lifting up all their bags of food. "I'll tell him."</p><p>"You won't."</p><p>"I will! Fuck off!"</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A recent child patient he had admitted into the hospital with a sudden head injury had been bringing a lot of bad memories, to the point where Pietro told him to remember that he had to take care of himself, and when he had the time, take a walk if he could.</p><p>“He was playing outside,” the mother spoke in quickened breaths so that Pietro had to calm her down, “he was with friends and everything was fine and then someone had called 911 saying that a child fell over on the road while they were riding their bikes—”</p><p>“I’m going to need you to take it easy,” Pietro said, “we’re going to do everything we can.”</p><p>“Get her some water,” Leorio whispered to Oito, stepping out of the operating room. Oito nodded, taking the mother’s hand and escorting her to the waiting room so she could sit.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Meanwhile, the father had been impatiently waiting since their son had been taken into the OR. “You the doctor here?”</p><p>“Yes I am, me and Dr. Figueroa,” Leorio said, “Mr. Driscoll, I’m aware that this a frightening time for the both of you—”</p><p>“—of course it is! We were right outside when he was out riding bikes with his friends and suddenly he’s in the hospital!”</p><p>“There seems to have been a biking accident,” Leorio cautiously explained, “wasn’t sure if he was riding too fast or it could’ve been that he rode over something that caused the fall. But it caused him to hit his head and he’s withstanding a brain injury because of it.”</p><p>“How couldn’t we have seen this?!” He exclaimed, “I mean— they were right outside! Sonny’s always been so careful!”</p><p>“We still have plenty of time to assess the situation, Mr. Driscoll, and I’m going to need you and your wife’s cooperation.” Leorio said. “Just stay with me.”</p><p>“There’s no way we’re leaving this fucking hospital.”</p><p>“And I understand that.”</p><p>“Hey.” Pietro came back from the OR after he stepped away briefly, “I think you need to see this.” he told Leorio, a look of dread on his face.</p><p>They both knew what that look meant.</p><p>Sonny had to be transported to the ICU about a day later for further evaluation. He looked like a bright kid. His mother claimed that he was on the school’s soccer team, he was about a few years older than Gon— he sometimes helped out at their neighbor’s store next door when they needed extra hands, went to church services on Sundays, and he hung out with friends from school every weekend.</p><p>They’d always go out biking together and make sure to come home after dark because they all lived close by, and then the accident had happened, his parents realizing that Sonny hadn’t come home after six o’clock only to find out from a passerby phoning 911 that he fell and hit his head on the concrete because he was doing bike tricks with his friends while it was dark out. His friends were beyond terrified and had no idea that any of this would happen, and their parents tried their best to show the Driscoll family their support while Leorio said they were going to do the best they could.</p><p>Pietro told him that if they didn’t go forth with putting Sonny into a coma, as it was the initial prognosis— then they weren’t certain the boy would make it. Leorio didn’t want to have to resort to that, however, after consulting with Jingyi, a fellow neurosurgeon, Leorio was pressured to come up with a difficult decision. He had a team of people waiting for his word on what they should do next and they knew how much cases like this were a sensitive subject, and it wasn’t the first time for any of them to deal with sudden loss whether it be directly or indirectly.</p><p>The next day, Leorio had the team come together and he decided that the best option was putting the child under an induced coma to stop the brain swelling. It raised some questions with others as it wasn’t the most favored vote, but it was to be cautious and take immediate action necessary and Leorio was more harsh on them than usual to get their asses in gear and make sure they do everything they could to take care of this kid. As always, though, Pietro accepted his decision and was on his side. He was more worried about how Leorio was handling this all, as he tended to be the more level-headed one when it came to these situations. It definitely wasn’t easy.</p><p>The fear in the parents' eyes, the way his father tugged on Leorio's lab coat and shouted that they better do something to save their son or else there would be Hell to pay. Oito had to wedge herself between them and calm Mr. Driscoll down.</p><p>Leorio told them with full honesty whether this would work was uncertain, but the only thing they could do is wait. A lot of damage had been done to the brain tissue and Jingyi pointed out that this was the safest resort rather than waiting it out any longer, as it had already been a day Sonny was placed in intensive care. Pietro said that he had to act fast, because Sonny’s parents were waiting on the edge of their seats for the tiniest crumb of good news.</p><p>It was cases like these that made him think long and hard about the lengths he went through for Gon's safety and hated to tell him that he wouldn't be able to come home that night, and since then, things have been growing a little stale between him and Kurapika. He felt bad for having to cancel so many date plans, but Kurapika insisted he was fine with it. It's best if they took things slowly and didn't rush too fast into things.</p><p>For a brief moment being able to accompany them on their field trip was one of the best things to come out of this week, because he was able to push the situation with his job currently at the back of his mind.</p><p>There were times where he enjoyed playing a father, a friend, or possibly a lover, and then there were the times he had to play a leader, a professional who’s words had to be careful and dealing with heinous situations that had significant outcomes which sometimes turned for the better or the worse, more often lately it's been becoming the latter and it’s hard to switch into the roles he wanted to be so desperately when he still had unfinished business in his other life.</p><p>He felt like he might’ve done something wrong to upset Kurapika, blaming it on back-to-back shifts which was the main reason why the last few attempts he wouldn't even call serious relationships hadn't lasted longer than a week or two, it only worked out as something casual before they decided they didn't want to be a bother and call it off.</p><p>To prevent Gon from worrying too much, he's blamed it on exhaustion.</p><p>He got off another phone call and took off his glasses, leaning back in his office chair. Zepile said he’d bring lunch, but he lost his appetite.</p><p>What the fuck was he thinking, thinking he could balance so many things at once? When he’s just about struggling to juggle his responsibilities as it was? A child’s in critical condition and this choice might make it or break it.</p><p>Kurapika sent him a text.</p><p>Kurapika.</p><p>Usually Leorio would be the one sending numerous texts, making the phone calls, sending the flowers, burying his head between his thighs— all-in-all— he usually did the pampering.</p><p>He’d be more happy about it if he wasn’t screamed at by Sonny’s father about how they didn’t know how to do their fucking jobs and they were basically killing their son by going forth with their idea. The way Oito had to console their mother after she started panicking so bad she nearly passed out, the way Leorio’s explanation fell through deaf ears because he should know that if it didn’t work out this was all his fault and he should blame himself for making the call, because Pietro had pleaded for him to say <em>something </em>to the boy’s parents rather than leaving them in the dark.</p><p>He’d be more happy about it if he weren’t basically called a monster.</p><p><strong>Sunshine 🐢🌞🐢 [6:34 P.M]: </strong>I hope you’re having a great day at work today, from the YN crew.</p><p><strong>Sunshine 🐢🌞🐢 [6:34 P.M]: </strong>[img]</p><p>Kurapika and his colleagues were huddled around the camera while they posed and had grins on their faces. The workplace had much more a friendlier vibe to it, there’s so much love between all his co-workers and they took Leorio right in like he was one of their own. As much as he appreciated his team of hard-working doctors and nurses, they never had the time to simply sit down, cherish each other and what they had, and live in the moment. Pietro fought tooth and nail to have Kurapika help throw Leorio’s thirty-fifth birthday in this damn hospital because their supervisors wouldn’t allow it.</p><p>Very rarely, there’s pranks and practical jokes between him and Pietro, but at the end of the day they had to get back to work and focus on what mattered at hand. He knew Kurapika meant well sending this. He could imagine his friends hassling him to send a photo to Leorio while he tried to get away from them.</p><p>Maybe in a different world he could pretend to be a better friend and maybe even a better lover.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The wait made Leorio grow more and more anxious as the days passed on. Sonny’s parents managed to simmer down when he explained that their child was doing well. As soon as he awakened he’d be able to start recovering and they could start the next steps from there, and they remained much calmer about it.</p><p>He was confident he made the right choice.</p><p>He didn’t come all the way here to doubt himself, not when others had gone through the same predicament. Making a choice was better than making none at all.</p><p>Leorio was in the building a little early so he figured he would walk around for a bit and talk to people. He had time to spare before his night shift, and he went to the school. He found Pairo hanging up stuff on the bulletin board when the teacher had looked up and noticed him walking by, and he didn't notice it was him until Pairo said something.</p><p>"LP!" Pairo called after him. Leorio snapped out of his daze and turned around, "Hey!"</p><p>"Oh, hey!"</p><p>"Mind helping me hang up these drawings, doc?" Pairo was standing on a stool to staple these to the board. "Usually this is a one-man job….but it's not an easy one."</p><p>"Yeah, sure." Leorio jogged up next to him.</p><p>"Dismissal isn't until another hour."</p><p>"I don’t have a shift until five. I got time to spare."</p><p>"Great." Pairo handed him a stapler, "Let's get cracking. I hope Pika doesn't mind me stealing you."</p><p>Leorio chuckled, taking the stapler. "Hey," he worked on stapling each drawing Pairo's students did on the bulletin board, made with sparkly glitter, googly eyes, and other exotic decorations. "...I haven't done anything to upset them, did I?"</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"No it's just, we had a great first date. I thought things were fine. Maybe I'm just imagining it."</p><p>"Hmm. Could be just nerves." Pairo shrugged, "but trust us when we say that they definitely have the hots for you. I mean, if it weren't for the bet you two wouldn't even have gotten this close." Pairo handed him another drawing, and the word <em>bet </em>made Leorio pause.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Pairo froze as well. "Fuck." He whispered under his breath, turning away from Leorio.</p><p>Hands shoved in his pockets, Leorio stepped closer to Pairo. Even standing on a chair Leorio wasn't too far from his additional boost in height. "Pairo?"</p><p>Pairo smiled at Leorio sheepishly.</p><p>….and he should've kept his mouth shut.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika decided today, he’s going to tell him.</p><p>He paced around on his heels. He hadn’t heard much from Leorio since the field trip, and there was that large gap of them skirting around each other because Kurapika said his grand gestures were too off-putting.</p><p>This was going terrible, and he should try to get over himself and make amends. He had the spare key, so he was able to enter the loft. He texted Leorio he was coming because he didn’t pick up his phone. This was a weekend Gon was with his aunt, so it was the perfect time— as he’s more likely to be home alone.</p><p>He expected that maybe Leorio was at work, but he was sitting right on the kitchen counter holding a glass of whiskey to his lips.</p><p>His eyes looked bloodshot. The bags underneath them were visible. Kurapika slowly shut the door, feeling like he’d missed something.</p><p>“Leorio?” he asked.</p><p>This was also unlike him.</p><p>Kurapika cautiously approached him. “I… texted you I’d be coming. I didn’t get a response. So I thought I drop by—”</p><p>“—now’s not a good time.” Leorio murmured a little harshly.</p><p>Kurapika frowned. “Well— not really sure <em>when </em>is,” he snapped without thinking, and he huffed a laugh, “it doesn’t look like you’re busy.”</p><p>“I don’t wanna talk right now.” Leorio held Kurapika’s gaze. The hidden animosity in them made Kurapika freeze in his tracks.</p><p>“What’s wrong with you?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Listen if it’s money that you want or whatever, you don’t gotta pretend to give a shit about my life.” Leorio said sullenly. He inhaled deeply and drank more from his glass, “I’m already goin’ through enough as it is and all people see is somethin’ to gain out of it for themselves.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“You made a <em>bet </em>just to see what kinda job I worked? The money I made?”</p><p>Kurapika’s heart dropped, he shut his eyes. “Leorio, I meant to tell you—”</p><p>“—did you <em>really?</em>” Leorio snarked, “just sounds like to me that this was your one-way ticket to my wallet.”</p><p>“I’m not that kind of <em>person</em>.” Kurapika insisted, defensive, “yes we made that stupid bet I took part of but speaking to you was something I don’t regret doing because I genuinely enjoyed everything else that came after it—”</p><p>“—how the fuck am I supposed to believe that? I mean you started avoiding me after all the stuff that I’ve been doing for you all of a sudden— like maybe you just weren’t satisfied enough—”</p><p>“—and I didn’t ask for any of that!” Kurapika argued.</p><p>Leorio laughed bitterly, “well I did all those things for you because I really liked you, actually, and I thought that maybe— maybe after— things with her, maybe I’d just find something<em> good</em> for myself.”</p><p>“You’re clearly not over her if you have pictures of her under your bed.” Kurapika blurted. Leorio’s eyes widened. “I saw the box. And I wanted to ask you about it, and it just makes me think that I was just an afterthought you could use to make yourself feel better.”</p><p>“She’s <em>dead.</em>” Leorio answered lowly, his nose flared up scornfully. Kurapika went silent. “In case you’re wondering, she was the mother of my child and my former fucking fiancé, Kurapika. Did you not trust me that much?”</p><p>“It was by accident.” Kurapika confessed. “I didn’t know when would be a good time to bring it up, not until today.”</p><p>“Mm, right.” Leorio swallowed more of his drink, setting it down on the counter. “Look everywhere through my fucking house if you want to. Check my phone if you have to. Check through all my stuff. I'm completely open, if there's anything else you need to know, be my guest and interrogate me some more 'cause you sure love doing that.”</p><p>“I never said I didn’t trust you!” Kurapika said.</p><p>“But you wanted to break this off, is that it? You were having doubts.”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t say anything, and Leorio nodded.</p><p>“The one moment I think I’ve gotten something pretty good in my life is when I’m reminded that people just don’t give a shit. All they’ve done is take and take from me, and I get it, I was like that once where I wanted everything. But when shit gets too serious and they realize the shit that I deal with is when they wanna take off and pretend as if they feel sorry. The last thing I need is another person thinking I'm just a dollar sign more than a person and they could use my son as an excuse to take even more from me, take everything I have Kurapika, because I'm tired of it.” Leorio sneered.</p><p>“Take that back.” Kurapika threatened, fuming with rage.</p><p>“You could’ve just told me sooner if all of this isn’t what you wanted and make me feel like an idiot.” Leorio sniffed, “as if I hadn’t been told that a million times before.”</p><p>“<em>Take it back.</em>” Kurapika vexed, eyes turning red the more vehement he became.</p><p>“<em>I said what I said!”</em> Leorio snapped.</p><p>“Take it back! I worked hard to get where I fucking am <em>now,</em> to get to this country and leave <em>so much</em> behind I blame myself for regretting.” Kurapika pointed at himself, “I’m not doing this for the money as much as you were and <em>all those times </em>we talked was because I cared about you. For you to even insist that I don’t shows that you don’t know me as well as you thought either.” He stepped closer, dropping his bag on the counter that it knocked Leorio’s glass aside slightly. “You don’t have a single clue what I fought for and sacrificed just to <em>come here </em>and start a new life for <em>myself</em>. I did all of that myself. I didn’t ask anyone for any help, and I never needed to. Nor do I need the help now! So I’m not going to let you accuse me of swindling you as if you treat me like your charity case— or I’m sorry— a <em>pity fuck </em>so you could feel less sorry for yourself about your <em>dead fiancé</em>!”</p><p>The room had stilled instantly around them, they glared at one another. Kurapika refused to falter in his words, but he knew then and there he might’ve gone overboard. But he was beyond infuriated that Leorio had taken this to a whole other level and said such things, as if Kurapika didn’t <em>care </em>for him.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Kurapika’s words left in a rush, “I shouldn’t have said that…”</p><p>“My bad,” Leorio nodded slowly, and he pursed his lips together. “And here I thought how I felt for you meant something, but no, I guess—” he laughed, “I guess that neither of us are ready after all, and we both got our own fucking shit to deal with. I don’t have time for this, I never did, but I wanted to pretend that I could because I thought we could make something<em> work</em>.” he rubbed under his chin and clicked his tongue heatedly, “I was wrong. I’m just getting over my head about thinking anything could ever work between us, so say whatever you want about my intentions. But you were never some <em>charity case</em>, I saw you for you, and I wanted you for who you were. And if you don’t want to accept that, because of the type of people we are… then that’s fine with me.”</p><p>And Leorio might be right.</p><p>“<em>I care about Gon,</em>” Kurapika emphasized, simmering down, “And I care about him just as much as I care about everyone else. But I wouldn’t <em>ever </em>use <em>his </em>love for something so selfish. What I do know is how much you care about him.” He explained deplorably, “and I think you’re right, that what we did was wrong after all.” he confessed, “neither of us were thinking and we can’t let this get in-between the relationship you have with him. I don’t want to get in the middle of that. Clearly there’s things there that I have no reason to pry into, things that you’re dealing with— and I don’t want to complicate that by making it seem like I’m <em>entitled </em>to be part of your life.” Kurapika shook his head, “and I don’t know if I want to get in-between severed ties of something you haven’t moved on from yet.”</p><p>“So we don’t have to continue anything.” Leorio rubbed his hands together, keeping his gaze ahead with his elbows propped on the counter. The way he refused to look at Kurapika and closed himself off completely made his heart shatter into a billion pieces. His eyes watered as he hesitantly picked up his bag, seeing the way Leorio rocked in his seat, folding his fingers together and leaning his head against his hands. “Let’s just end it.”</p><p>Something else was bothering him he wasn’t telling Kurapika about. But he already angered him enough and things escalated far too much to bother asking about it.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t want to cause any more damage than he already did.</p><p>“You’re right.” Kurapika nodded, “let’s just— go back to pretending none of this happened, and no one has to know.”</p><p>“Great.” Leorio poured another drink. Kurapika didn’t want to stand here for another second longer. He turned around.</p><p>“Take care, Sunshine.”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t say anything. It felt like a farewell— even if this meant that they wouldn’t be seeing each other as frequently as they used to, it still felt like adding the final nail to the coffin. This wasn’t them making false promises and spending the night tangled in bedsheets while going about their day the morning after.</p><p>This was the final call— putting an end to something that stemmed from reckless choices that they made.</p><p>Kurapika shut the door behind him and didn’t look back, he picked up the speed and the tears were running hot down his cheeks by the time he made it down to the lobby and back to the bus stop.</p><p>He too, had to let this ridiculous fantasy go.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Now, why would Leorio have reached his breaking point in such short notice?</p><p>Let’s rewind.</p><p>It’s the middle of his morning shift when he had to make the final decision on pulling the plug on Sonny Driscoll, age twelve, an only child of two parents and a friend of many.</p><p>Coming from a religious family Leorio strongly believed in hope, his family always coaxed them to pray for Pietro’s wellness in health and they believed their prayers were answered when he miraculously started to recover from his illness.</p><p>He wanted to give that hope to the loved ones of his patients who were in the same critical condition, but he was prepared that sometimes— it wouldn’t always work.</p><p>His mother praised how his hands were meant to heal and when Sonny’s health rapidly declined before his very eyes he couldn’t help but think something had gone wrong.</p><p>Sonny’s parents were called in to see him in his hospital room, hooked up to the machine that was the sole reason he was still breathing.</p><p>He took a breather in his office, and Oito had stopped by to tell him that the family was ready to say goodbye to Sonny. Leorio’s facial expression went rigid and he sucked it up as he nodded, following her into Sonny’s room.</p><p>Satine and Kadon Driscoll stood on Sonny’s right side, squeezing their son’s hand tightly.</p><p>“Could we say a few more things?” Kadon asked, voice roughened with agony.</p><p>“Of course.” Leorio stepped back, watching Sonny’s parents whisper their tearful goodbyes. He told them to take as much time as they needed, hands shoved in the pockets of his lab coat.</p><p>When they came to an acceptance that this was the outcome, they allowed Leorio to pull the plug. He announced the time of death and the words felt heavy off his lips, bitter like lead.</p><p>He left the room so that the family could have the privacy that they needed together.</p><p>“Thank you.” Mrs. Driscoll had told him before he left the room, fresh new tears rolled down her cheeks over the ones that had already dried up.</p><p>“He was a strong fighter, Mrs. Driscoll.”</p><p>Sonny’s father was too stunned to say anything, but the look in his eyes after Leorio had pulled the plug, that he’d wanted Leorio to go through with it, meant he shared the sentiment. His mother brushed his dark hair from his eyes and placed a kiss on her forehead, murmuring <em>“our sweet little angel’s finally free</em>.”</p><p>“Give it about an hour before we prepare the arrangements for the coroners to take the patient to the morgue.” Leorio handed Oito his clipboard and tucked his pen into the breast pocket of his lab coat.</p><p>“Yes, Dr. Paladiknight.” She rushed off.</p><p>“Hey,” Pietro placed a hand on his shoulder, “you did what any other leader would do. You know that, right?”</p><p>“We should call the family about getting in contact with a funeral facility,” Leorio evaded the question.</p><p>“Leo.”</p><p>“What <em>matters</em> is making sure that family’s taken care of.” Leorio told Pietro.</p><p>“No one could’ve known Sonny wouldn’t wake up.”</p><p>“It was still my decision to make.” Leorio looked his best friend in the eyes, the same look he’d given when they witnessed a loss a dozen times over, “now we have to deal with it.”</p><p>He pushed the overwhelming guilt that hit him like a truck, after all, within these walls— there’s no such thing as putting personal feelings above everything else that was most important.</p><p>Unfortunately, as Leorio’s closest friend— Pietro knew he had the habit of bottling everything up until he eventually exploded and did something impulsive.</p><p>And he did; the instant he arrived home, he opened the wine cabinet and grabbed a bottle of whiskey, a single glass, and sat down to commemorate the fact that he’s just killed another patient by his own decision— using <em>his </em>choice of words.</p><p>He pretended the rest of his shift went on like normal, consoled the Driscoll’s, left his office with a heavy heart and the urge to taste something bitter. He drove home gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles grew white with moist eyes at the way Satine had thanked him, like he did them a favor.</p><p>He was putting the boy out of his misery and they all knew it, and that’s exactly what he did.</p><p>Leorio was no <em>saint</em>.</p><p>He ignored everyone’s phone calls and text messages for the time-being.</p><p>Only one thing was on his mind as the whiskey burned in his throat and he stared down at his miserable reflection through the marble surface of the counter.</p><p>Who the Hell was he kidding?</p><p>
  <em>I don’t deserve to be a fucking doctor. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>lol sorry... did i mention we just dropped on the pain rollercoaster?</p><p>the surprise art at the aquarium was done by a friend of mine :)</p><p>lmk if anybody recognized that cameo at the beginning on the bus :))) yall know who u are, more cameos may keep coming along</p><p>I can't find that twitter post about non-binary child and non-binary parental figure, but yes, it evoked something in my brain and thought it'd be perfect for the Killua and Kurapika bonding scenario since someone pointed out that they seemed to enjoy their growing relationship!</p><p>Leo I have borrowed Weaver as the other cool tour guide along with Kat's OCs, Hashir and Jingyi, thank u both.</p><p>Next chapter: uh oh sisters</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. we always come when we are called</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Yorknew has their Spring fling, chaos ensues, Kurapika learns a little bit more about Leorio and have to spend another night together dealing with awkward, unresolved feelings during the school dance.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>.......i have no excuse for what happens</p><p><b>tw:</b> mild violence, blood/gore a little toward the end! just a heads up!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/185030501@N07/51063731673/in/dateposted-public/">  </a>
</p><p>It felt strange walking into the staff room without seeing a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates sitting on the large table. No surprise lunches during break time, a text message sent as a reminder to have a good day— all of that vanished so quickly the moment Leorio put an end to it.</p><p>It’s okay.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t want to let this deter him. He <em>adored </em>his job regardless of its ups and downs and a little mishap like this shouldn’t affect how he felt in the slightest. He promised he’d get over it, even when he saw Leorio in the halls when he came to pick up Gon— of course, they had to put on a smile as the boy jumped into his father’s arms and say their goodbyes, glancing at each other stiffly before Leorio gave Kurapika a stiff nod and they parted ways.</p><p>He’d get used to this, he told himself. But he felt his heart shatter just a little bit more at the coldness in Leorio’s eyes and Kurapika being too stubborn to let it go, accepting the fact that this was how things should’ve been.</p><p>There hadn’t been a tip in the complaint box in a while, other than mundane things related to their jobs— the tension held itself above everyone’s heads like thick, graying clouds. No one had said anything about it, instead, going about their day and slowly reverting back to their normal bickering between working to ease their minds off the long day.</p><p>He could tell Killua’s been more perceptive lately of Kurapika’s slight change in moods. He didn’t want his personal life to come between his job, and the last thing he wanted was to take unnecessary anger out on anyone who didn’t deserve it. He tried not to show it yet the boy’s piercing blue eyes were calculated on his every movement, the forced smiles, the desolate gaze in his eyes he masked with nonchalance, and none of his students noticed it, thankfully.</p><p>Killua hadn’t actually confronted him about it, he just remained silent and stayed close to his friends. Kurapika switched between tables to check on their fun projects and his eyes were boring into his head when he spoke to the others.</p><p>Kurapika got a knock on his door one night.</p><p>One thing no one had mentioned, was the prolonged silence between him and his best friend. For it briefly had broken during the aquarium trip only to re-hatch itself when Leorio had found out about the bet.</p><p>“Pika? It’s me.”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t say anything. He kept typing away at his lesson plan he was halfway done through, knowing that Pairo had a spare key into the apartment so he could come in and go when he pleased. But there was a reason why he was knocking. He only knocked when he was uncertain Kurapika wanted him to come in.</p><p>The door slowly creaked open.</p><p>“Hey…”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t even bat an eye in his direction.</p><p>“Listen,” he heard the poignancy in Pairo’s voice, “Kurapika—” he barely ever called him <em>Kurapika</em>, unless things were <em>very serious </em>between them, “—I’m <em>really </em>sorry…”</p><p>Kurapika lifted his mug and toyed with the teabag soaking in the liquid, taking another sip. He was listening, and Pairo must’ve caught on judging by his silence.</p><p>“He thought things were going bad between you and he wanted to ask me about it. I shouldn’t have mentioned the bet. I wasn’t thinking. I know, you probably wanted to tell him on your own time and not have him hear it from someone else when we all agreed not to say anything… I still feel bad, that we even did that in the first place before we got to know him and—”</p><p>Kurapika set down the cup abruptly, “<em>everything isn’t a joke!” </em>he wanted to scream, unleashing the fury that he felt having to bottle up everything for the past <em>week</em>, and he’d have to do it for the next, and the next, <em>and the next. </em>“I’ve sacrificed so much for you to make you happy and the only time I have one good thing going for myself you always have to ruin it one way or the other! When you told my first boyfriend that it wasn’t going to work out between us because we were going to separate colleges and all the other relationships I had because <em>you </em>would tell them I’m too good for them, as much as you like to joke around my love life <em>isn’t </em>a fucking joke and you don’t realize the things you say can ruin everything for me! <em>I’ve lost so many good things because of how much I cared about you</em>!”</p><p>...That’s what he wanted to say.</p><p>He wanted to say that he was angry that Pairo telling a stupid <em>secret </em>like that put the nail in the coffin and caused something Kurapika took so long allowing himself to think was <em>the right thing </em>because it all felt so natural and loving and <em>good</em> to wash down the drain, as if it never existed in the first place. Leorio couldn’t even look him in the eye anymore, and Gon didn’t notice a single <em>thing</em> that was off between them. He would ask if Kurapika wanted to join them for lunch or if he wanted to come over and see the gallery of drawings Gon collected for Leorio and how he had to politely decline, telling them both to have a good day together.</p><p>Instead, Kurapika said nothing. He had his mug in his lap, still. The words he thought about saying that threatened to spill out he kept sealed tightly, because he didn’t want to hurt Pairo and say something that would also put their friendship in jeopardy, more than it was now. It’s because he <em>knew </em>Pairo meant <em>well</em> and his tendencies to go about things so jocularly was only who he <em>was </em>as a person and he did so with Kurapika out of love, except sometimes it could be a little careless and cross the line, and it’s only done about once or twice when they were reckless teenagers.</p><p>“I want my best friend back.” Pairo pleaded, Kurapika heard a sniffle and he gripped his mug so tightly that his hands started to shake. “I don’t like us being like this. I don’t care about the stupid complaint box anymore, honestly, that was my fault, and I know that’s not even the issue and I’m over it. But I thought I’d be helping out and doing you a favor by talking to him and clearly it didn’t work out well.” he let out a shaky breath, approaching Kurapika, “<em>I know I’m not perfect </em>and you seemed so happy with him and you like him a lot, and I didn’t mean to ruin that. I promise you I didn’t, and I’m <em>so </em>sorry.”</p><p>Kurapika set down the mug and stood up, tears pooled in his eyes as he walked up to Pairo and embraced him tightly.</p><p>His back started the shake with silent sobs, Kurapika stroked it gently, burying his face into Pairo’s hair.</p><p>“When we were sixteen we’d fight over stealing each other’s hair brushes and make up the next day,” Kurapika whispered fondly, “...<em>not this</em>.”</p><p>“I know.” Pairo whined, “I don’t like fighting with you.”</p><p>“I don’t either.” Kurapika parted from Pairo, sniffling. A couple tears fell as he cupped Pairo’s cheeks and used his thumbs to brush away the fallen tears.</p><p>“I’m really sorry about you and LP.” Pairo sniffed again. “I messed things up.”</p><p>“It’s okay.” Kurapika smiled a little, “It wasn’t going to work anyway.” They were just ignoring the real issues they kept at bay. Like Gon, Leorio’s past, his <em>life</em>, and how they just couldn’t sync up with Kurapika’s. Maybe his family was right after all, maybe he should resort to someone who was accommodated to his standards and not his selfish wants, and telling his mother that he was wrong thinking he’d find something elsewhere.</p><p>Maybe him and Leorio <em>weren’t </em>meant to be together because they were so different.</p><p>“I’m used to being the cute and pretty one in the friendship that doesn’t have any problems because <em>look at me</em>, I have <em>everything </em>going for me.” Kurapika chuckled. Yeah, Pairo’s back alright. He pulled away from Kurapika and wiped away the rest of his tears.</p><p>“You’re lucky that I love you.” Kurapika said tiredly.</p><p>“You can’t stay mad at me.” Pairo smirked, “...obviously, I consider this as my silent treatment, week two, broken. World record of silent treatments I’ve had ever!”</p><p>Kurapika hugged him again as Pairo embraced him enthusiastically. <em>I blame myself for this. Not you. </em>He shut his eyes exasperatedly.</p><p>“You’re insufferable.”</p><p>“That’s why we’re friends, Pika.”</p><p>He’s the only one who’s been dealing with Kurapika’s mess longer than anybody else had.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio was honestly scared of going back to school to pick-up Gon.</p><p>He didn’t tell anyone yet about how things ended miserably between him and Kurapika. He’s still recovering over how things ended with Sonny and the aftermath of the case, all of that clouded his judgement and he <em>fucked it all up </em>because he had too many drinks and was reminded why he couldn’t keep a long-term relationship.</p><p>It’s far too late to apologize, not when they see each other and he could tell by Kurapika’s hidden anger that he crossed over a line. He didn’t tell Kurapika about Aura because he was too caught up in trying to get over her himself. He was scared, that he’d do everything in his power to make someone he wanted in his life stay and when they found out the gritty details of the passing, Leorio constantly beat himself up over it— they’d find themselves overwhelmed and run away before things got too serious.</p><p>If it were out of sight, out of mind, then neither of them had to worry about anything. He thought about burning the box, trashing it in a junkyard. Shoving it somewhere he wouldn’t think to look again so he’d eventually forget about it. But since he and Gon moved into this new apartment he foolishly kept it where he could look at it every now and then. Pietro, Zepile, and Knuckle had been telling him it was about time he got rid of <em>everything </em>once and for all or else he’d never get full closure.</p><p>So, he did.</p><p>He took Gon fishing, a weekend spent using a camping trip to think about it. Leorio asked him if he wanted to see his mother. It’s the first time he saw the boy hesitate, but he said he wanted to, and he showed him the fish that he caught— almost like Gon was doing more than usual to put a smile on Leorio’s face lately. Anything he did would make Leorio smile, because Gon was <em>his world</em>, but the fear of being a failure looming over his shoulders made it difficult to be <em>okay</em> when he wasn’t.</p><p>He put Aura’s belongings next to her tombstone, not wanting to destroy it— preserve it instead, and he introduced her to Gon. He left a paper bird beneath her tombstone.</p><p>“I made this at school.” Gon said, “I thought about what you asked me on the trip. I thought I’d give something to mom too.”</p><p>Leorio hadn’t realized the tears welling up in his eyes, “Gon,” he whispered, tugging Gon into a tight embrace and burying his head in the boy’s shoulder.</p><p>“It’s okay, dad!” Gon consoled graciously, “you don’t have to pretend like it doesn’t hurt anymore with me.”</p><p>Leorio’s eyes blinked wide, “y-you knew—?”</p><p>“I know when your days get really bad at work.” Gon placed his hands on Leorio’s shoulders, “Some days you’re tired, and some days you’re sad. I just want you to know that I’m here with you! So you don’t have to feel like you’re going through things alone!” he planted a big fat kiss on Leorio’s cheek, “that’s why you’re my best friend and the greatest dad in the whole world! You do so much for me, so I wanna take care of you.”</p><p>Leorio sobbed, “Ranita—” it was an ugly cry, snot-running down his nose and messy tears mixed in rolling down his cheeks.</p><p>“Let’s go to the Fun Fest this week!” Gon said, “but this time, I’m gonna be the one that treats you! So you have a good time!”</p><p>“Just us?”</p><p>“Mhm! Just us! Killua would understand.”</p><p>Leorio laughed, using his sleeve to wipe away his tears. “Sounds good, kiddo…” he really needed the break. "Hey, so what do you say about getting Nog a friend?"</p><p>Gon's eyes sparkled. He jumped on Leorio and hugged him tightly. "Let's name him Oiroel!"</p><p>Leorio frowned.</p><p>"It's your name, backwards! So we can match!" Gon said. </p><p>He sighed. "Sure thing, buddy."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A mouth full of cotton candy, ice cream, and soggy burgers, and a dozen roller coaster rides later every joint in Leorio’s body screamed for rest.</p><p>“Did you have fun?” Gon asked, wearing a festive frog hat from the amusement park. Leorio wheezed, because he was too old to be dragged around like this, and it was more like Gon was taking him on rides that he wanted to go on and just asked if Leorio wanted to go on too. It was a mistake saying yes to everything, because hundreds of Jenny was spent on buying things from the shop and the concession stands, prize games, that his body was at his limit.</p><p>“I did.” he said, and Gon took out his disposable camera to snap photos of the both of them. His collection grew with each attraction they left. Gon said he wasn’t allowed to mope and there was only room for fun, handing him a stuffed boar he won at one of the prize stands.</p><p>“Thanks, Gon. This day means a lot to me.” Leorio told him, the last stop for the night was the ferris wheel so they could get the best view of the park after dusk and watch how the lights shone all throughout.</p><p>“You’re awesome at your job.” Gon said suddenly. “I don’t really know how it works, but if you think you’re bad, that’s not true. Even the coolest people in the world make mistakes, but they learn from them and do better the next time!”</p><p>Leorio didn’t know how to say that he couldn’t reverse the mistake he made, but he could prevent it the best he could. The thank you card he received from Sonny’s parents made him cry all over again while he sat on his bed and Gon came in to hug him tightly, and asked if he could sleep beside Leorio. He felt embarrassed that Gon had to watch him put up a facade just so he wouldn’t worry, but of course he would know. He was <em>family</em>.</p><p>“You always know the right words to say,” Leorio wrapped an arm around Gon and pulled him close.</p><p>“...Are things okay with you and Mr. Kurta?” Gon asked.</p><p>Leorio rubbed Gon’s arm with his hand and squeezed it assuringly, “Mr. Kurta and I… are working out a few differences. I’ve got a lot of stuff going on. Let’s just say we didn’t see eye to eye about those things, so, we’re taking time apart to think about how we can fix that.”</p><p>“Will things get better?” Gon asked hopefully.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Leorio tugged Gon into a brief embrace, kissing the top of his head. He was being honest, too.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio was prepared for Killua to strike. He didn’t know <em>when</em>, but he felt it coming. The malice radiated off him when he’d come over to hang out with Gon at his house. He masked it with sweet, angelic smiles that were <em>very unlike </em>him and Leorio felt like he was in the presence of his old middle school bullies except they were a hundred times worse, all merged into a single body, five years old, and went by the name of Killua.</p><p>Gon said he was going to use the bathroom while Killua was playing on Gon’s Switch. Leorio making snacks for them, grilled cheese sandwiches, and leaving it on the table from behind the couch. He figured everything was fine, and maybe he was being paranoid.</p><p>“So how’s it goin’?” he asked, trying to make small-talk. That’s when Killua paused the game, and he grabbed Leorio’s arm with both hands, yanking him over. He, who weighed about two hundred pounds at least, was thrown over the coffee table by Killua’s sheer force alone with an embarrassing scream. Killua then proceeded to smack Leorio in the face repeatedly, grabbing him by the shirt collar.</p><p>“I told you you’re a dead man!” Killua sneered. Leorio’s glasses were knocked off his face from the attack, “you hurt Mr. Kurta didn’t you?!”</p><p>“<em>I swear I didn’t mean to</em>!”</p><p>“Liar!” Killua smacked him again.</p><p>“<em>Gah</em>, please stop attacking me!”</p><p>“You think you get to do whatever you want after you go around hurting people?!”</p><p>“How do you think I feel?!” Leorio took Killua’s hands and sat up, groaning, his cheeks sting, “look, I get what I did was wrong and I made a big mistake. But I didn’t want to hurt them.”</p><p>Killua sized him up. He shoved Leorio back, “screw you old man!” he punched him in the balls, “that’s for hurting Mr. Kurta’s feelings! Just when I started to trust you!”</p><p>Gon came hopping down the stairs. “I’m back!”</p><p>“Hey Gon.” Killua pushed Leorio off the table. “Leorio made us grilled cheese.”</p><p>“Really?!” Gon dashed up to the table, “sweet! Thanks dad!”</p><p><em>“No problem</em>.” Leorio rasped, <em>everything hurt. </em>Killua and Gon ate their grilled cheese, Killua pretended that he just didn’t manhandle Leorio several minutes ago while they resumed playing video games.</p><p>He deserved that.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“And that’s why I have this on my face.” Leorio pointed at the large scratch on his left cheek.</p><p>“I would’ve thought you got mauled by an angry cat.” Pietro said. Rocking Woble in her arms, Oito agreed. </p><p>“You guys aren’t even the least bit fazed by this?!”</p><p>“It’s quite reasonable.” Oito said sheepishly.</p><p>“Attacking me ruthlessly?!”</p><p>“When was the last time you shaved?" Pietro asked, "you look like a God damn caveman. A less sexier Oscar Isaac. You're gonna scare all your patients away looking like a werewolf!"</p><p>"Pietro, he's depressed." Oito told him, like this was a very <em>Leorio</em> thing to do. Woble clapped her hands, Oito feeding her another spoonful of soup.</p><p>Leorio self-consciously stroked his beard, highly unaware he's been letting it grow because he was too depressed to do anything else but wake up, drop Gon off and go to work every morning. He didn't realize how thick it's gotten when he looked at the fucking mirror and grimaced at his reflection. Actually, he went without a clean shave anywhere for a month now in general. Man, was he spiraling again.</p><p>"What's wrong with my beard?"</p><p>"Everything, Leo! Your hair's almost long enough to be tied into a manbun! It's like you went to prison for like three years and came back. It's disgusting. Eleonora would faint if she saw you." So he hasn't been getting shape-ups either, sue him.</p><p>Leorio rolled his eyes, "d-don't bring my <em>madre</em> into this! She still thinks I'm with Stacy even though we ended things like, a year ago. Anyways, we're not here to make fun of my face or my hair, we're here to talk about the demon kid who's been out for <em>my blood </em>since Kurapika and I broke up."</p><p>"You remember Bowlby’s attachment theory?” Pietro questioned knowingly, “now kids will be kids, but they get especially protective when it comes to someone they care about.”</p><p>Leorio arched a brow, taking a bit of time to follow.</p><p>“Zepile tried to flirt with me once and ever since then Woble shows constant unrest in his presence.” Oito explained.</p><p>“That’s because that’s just <em>Zepile</em>, I mean, he causes unrest wherever he goes.” Oito and Pietro kept glancing at each other in a way that made Leorio feel anxious. “What?! Look at him! He’s slept with half our staff!”</p><p>"Sometimes kids just don't like adults, but it's different here. The kid just doesn't like you."</p><p>"That's my issue! I feel like I have to prove myself to a little kid that I'm not a bad person and no matter what I <em>do </em>he just hates me somehow even more! All because he thinks I'm threatening his teacher's job!"</p><p>“<em>Cabrón</em>, that’s <em>their </em>teacher you were messin’ with.” Pietro scolded.</p><p><em>"El chico tiene pinche problemas!" </em>Leorio said heatedly.</p><p><em>"Tú también!" </em>Pietro shot back. He shut Leorio up with a finger before he can say anything, "you said you wanted this, and then you fucked with their emotions after the things you said, he’ll be able to tell because of how much he <em>looks up </em>to them. They have an emotional attachment. He sees them the way Gon sees <em>you</em>, which is exactly why he reacted the way he did. Of course he’d be pissed. You <em>hurt someone </em>he cares a<em> shit ton</em> about. They risked their job just to be with you and you let your own come in-between that. Now you have to face the consequences."</p><p>“I’m an idiot.” Leorio rubbed the bridge of his nose, removing his glasses. <em>“Dios. How</em> could I have done something so <em>stupid</em>?”</p><p>“What I tell you?” Pietro sighed, “you went and did something <em>stupid </em>and now you feel like a dickhead. I told you!”</p><p>“<em>I know</em>,” Leorio didn’t want to hear the rest of it. They went out to eat hot pot at a restaurant a fifteen minute drive from the hospital and he depressingly slurped up his noodles, “I don’t deserve to be a doctor, how can I ever be a good partner to anyone?”</p><p>"Here we go again," Pietro mumbled under his breath. Oito gave him a look, and she consoled Leorio as he miserably ate more of his noodles.</p><p>“You did the best you could, Mr. Paladiknight.” Oito reassured him. “How you feel is understandable.”</p><p>“I know, but this’ll just happen again and again.” Leorio said, “I went and fucked things up with the one person I thought was <em>the one</em>, as hopelessly romantic as that sounds!”</p><p>“You are a hopeless romantic.” Pietro teased. “But maybe a break is what’s good for you right now.”</p><p>Leorio wasn’t aware that Pietro had been saying that after every hard case they’d gone through for the past several years. To take a break, and focus on Gon, and to take it easy on himself. He didn’t owe anyone a proper explanation as to why he needed it, either.</p><p>“We’re a <em>team. </em>We <em>always </em>come when we're called. To save someone's life, whether we do or don't. This is what our jobs are meant for, failing to succeed,” Pietro said aptly, “we’re in this together, and we’re not if it’s gonna be without you.”</p><p>Leorio looked up at his trusted friends, Oito reaching to take his hand.</p><p>“We’re still by your side, waiting for your next call.” She said. Woble laughed happily while she held him close to her side in her other arm, wanting to place her hand on top of Leorio’s as well. Instead, she picked up a hand full of scallops and threw it at Leorio's clean shirt.</p><p>"Woble!" Oito gasped.</p><p>"Thanks, Woble." Leorio sat there, eyes shut, spicy soup on his face and clothes. "I appreciate your support."</p><p>"Now when are you gonna stop moping?" Pietro asked, "did you let all the depression out of your system yet?"</p><p>"...I think we're gonna need a little more drinks." Leorio smiled sheepishly at them. No matter what his decision would be about Kurapika was unspoken, but he knew they’d be okay with it, because he needed to recover and get himself back in the right headspace to think about if he wanted to fix things down the road.</p><p>He parted with his friends after they left Knuckle’s to go home, their last stop for the night, and he was checking his instagram seeing that Pairo was posting stories that involved all their friends and Kurapika. He tapped on Kurapika’s username without thinking and swiped through his page, a melancholic ache settled in his stomach. They still kept “in touch” despite everything, but they both knew it wasn’t going to be the same as before. He watched his recent story. They went to some weird club, apparently it was called <em>Sabbath </em>or something like that judging by the loud music and the yelling. Some of these people were topless and pretending as if this was a day on the beach dancing around in scantily clothing as if they were about to be randomly possessed by demons and slaughter each other at any second. Half of Kurapika's friends were there celebrating Machi's birthday party. </p><p>Good to know that Kurapika was fairing well without him. His co-workers were still cordial with Leorio, but he could tell by the looks on their faces that they were aware of what was going on and chose to move past it.</p><p>He bumped into someone as he was walking to his car, a tall man with spiky blue hair styled into a mohawk. He looked familiar.</p><p>“Oh!” The man laughed, “sorry ‘bout that!”</p><p>Leorio stared at him, and the man stared back.</p><p>“...<em>Galo</em>?”</p><p>Galo blinked rapidly, then he gasped, “Doc?!”</p><p>“Holy shit!” Leorio marveled, and the two happily embraced each other with claps on the back, “It’s been a while! How’s your arm?”</p><p>Galo shrugged off his leather jacket and showed off the sleeve he had to cover the burns covering his right arm, “better than ever! I mean I can barely feel it anymore but y’know!”</p><p>“Still fighting fires?”</p><p>“Hell yeah I am! Number one firefighter at your service, always! How long has it been?”</p><p>“Four years now!” Leorio couldn’t believe how fast time flew, Galo was a burn victim after he got scalded with third degree burns while he was on the job and it was one of those critical cases Leorio got thrusted into when he was only working in the hospital for a year. He was a fighter. His boss and subordinates came over to check on him, as they were first responders, Galo and Leorio had something in common that he usually didn’t with his other patients. After he was discharged, they never saw each other since.</p><p>Small world.</p><p>“Ah yeah, I remember you have a kid, didn’t you?” Galo snapped his fingers, “...Gon, was it?”</p><p>“He turned six last week.”</p><p>“A shame I didn’t get to meet him, he’s probably grown so much! How’s the hospital?”</p><p>Leorio hesitated. <em>Great</em>, would’ve been understatement, when he was crying to his co-workers and both Knuckle and Shoot earlier about how he killed a patient and how he didn’t deserve to be a doctor, sobbing into Pietro’s arms while Woble giggled, having no idea what was going on. He was supposed to love his job, love who he <em>worked hard </em>to be. Right now it felt like the opposite.</p><p>“It’s… coming along,” Leorio answered solemnly.</p><p>Galo frowned, “...you sure?”</p><p>Leorio, about to pour his heart out to a stranger whose life he once saved years ago, decided he should just be honest with somebody and tell them what he was really thinking.</p><p>“I don’t know.” he confessed.</p><p>“Wanna talk about it?” Galo asked.</p><p>Leorio looked at him helplessly.</p><p>He ended up having a drink with his former patient, who reminded him that he <em>was </em>capable of saving lives, it’s all part of the job, making mistakes and moving past them to fight harder for the sake of others. Not just from a firefighter to a doctor, but as a friend comforting another friend.</p><p>They exchanged phone numbers after they caught up with each other, and Galo told Leorio to come to the firehouse sometime.</p><p>He sat alone in his office, smiling when he saw the notification that Galo had followed him on Instagram.</p><p>He got an e-mail from Cheadle later that day about wanting to be part of a spring dance the school was throwing and felt an ache in his chest. He’s still part of the PTA committee, most of all. He almost forgot he was until he received another newsletter in his overflowing inbox in the sea of e-mails he had to sort through and force himself to get it together. He still believed his medical license was a fluke and those years he spent wasting away in his studies to get this far led to nowhere satisfying, but he still had a job to do. Just hoping he didn’t fuck it all up again too soon.</p><p>Leorio clicked on the reply button.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The doorbell rang.</p><p>"Ring ring!" Gon sang, as he was making frog-shaped cutouts from stuff he printed on Leorio's work computer, claiming he wanted to decorate the house. The living room was a mess of carboard paper, googly eyes, and scraps. He had to use glue sticks to slap each face on the wall and whenever people came over Leorio had to explain he had a son who was very festive, so they must disregard the mac and cheese picture frame on the first wall to their right.</p><p>He took off his glasses, stepping into his slides and opening the door to his home office. The doorbell rang again. </p><p>"Alright, I'm comin'." he grumbled. His back hurt like a motherfucker from sitting so long he had to bend over. His doctor told him he might have possible arthritis as if Leorio hadn't spent the past two weeks in wallowing depression. <em>Arthritis. </em>He's too sexy for fucking <em>arthritis. </em>To be told he's pushing forty and that meant he should be more aware of the possible prognosis of chronic health conditions was terrifying to hear, because he was fit for his age, <em>and </em>healthy. But his long hours of work were the source of his stress factors and it was making him age.</p><p>Especially after he dealt with a dying patient.</p><p>He's tempted to start looking into his retirement plans again.</p><p>Leorio opened the door, and he saw two people staring back at him.</p><p>Two people who he knew very well.</p><p>"Leorio!" Raul spread his arms, enveloping him into a hug by clapping him on the back of his head and thrusting him down into his shoulder. </p><p>"Uh." Leorio laughed, looking at both his <em>parents, </em>speechless.</p><p>His mother smacked him in the side of the head, offended, "<em><span class="token_created">¿Así es</span> <span class="token_created">como</span> <span class="token_created">saludas</span> <span class="token_created">a</span> <span class="token_created">tu</span> <span class="token_created">familia?!"</span></em></p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Let's backtrack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Raul and Eleonora Paladiknight— Leorio's biological parents who have raised him alongside Alejandro and Maria Figueroa— Pietro's parents. </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">It's clear that the time they spent apart showed in their apperance. Eleonora had Leorio at a young age, and so her dark hair, loose, natural waves that framed her cheeks, and she faired not a single gray hair but the hint of wrinkles present, however Raul had been aging fairly quicker judging by the graying in his facial hair and his neatly trimmed hair he'd styled back for the visit. Eleonora was wearing a cocktail blue dress, jewels on her wrists, neck, and hoop earrings, light makeup on that authenciated her beauty. While Raul wore a red-button down and slacks, blazer hanging off his shoulders. His hair styled in a way that would show off his studded earrings, shirt hiding most of his inked tribal tattoos. A lot would say that Leorio had his mother's face and his father's stunning brown eyes. Despite his father's tallness, devilish good looks, tanner complexion, and charisma, Leorio passed him in height, and his mother completely dwarfed him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Leorio moved out of their hometown when he got into college, as it was a state university upstate of Yorknew. His mother was a housekeeper and his father was a construction worker. Eleonora met Maria through her job, and vice versa with Raul and Alejandro. Since the two sons were next door neighbors, their close families resulted in their close friendship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Their joint income was barely enough to keep the house afloat, and after Pietro survived his illness, Leorio got into college with the hopes of getting admitted into medical school so he could support his parents. It was by no means an expensive college and rather a public institution and the government was able to help pay for his tuition, among other scholarship opportunities, it wasn't until he saw the medical school fees was he going to tell his parents it wasn't possible. But he shook it off, and instead of coming back home to find another job, or even go back to school for something else— he promised he'd pay off the debts little by little and until he's practicing surgery he'd have more leverage in paying everything back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">It wasn't the most easiest plan, but it was one way not to worry his parents. Meanwhile, Pietro begged not to tell them that they basically partied their way through their pre-med days and got into a shit ton of trouble so they've been sprinkling little white lies to their family that medical school went great, up until Aura's death, Leorio felt like he should be more honest with them. He loved them to death, but he's been burdening them way too much when he was younger and he's basically been taking care of them despite being miles away and they made an arrangement that they'd come down to visit, as they were doing fairly better than they were before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Alejandro left the construction business to look into corporate, while Maria landed a waitressing at a five star hotel and rose the ranks to managing. Raul got a promotion and Eleonora went back to school to open a business for crafting novelties. As she took pride in making knicknacks as gifts for herself and others, Raul helped her build shop and it's been taking off ever since. They finally had the money to invest in more visits to where Leorio and Gon lived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Except, they'd usually <em>tell him </em>they were coming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Then Leorio remembered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">He's been ignoring Facebook messages and notifications from family members because he'd been taking a social media detox.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"Ma! Dad!" Leorio snapped out his daze, "what are you guys doing here?!" he asked, shocked. He didn't want his mom to smack his ass again for asking that, but it was the complete truth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"Did you get our message?" Raul smacked Leorio in the arm, making him wince. "We said we'd be flying in soon for a visit!" he grinned, "we wanted to see you! It's been so long since we last came down to Yorknew! Such a beautiful city!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"Um," Leorio laughed, "did you? I might've missed it... things have been busy!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"Grandpa! Grandma!" Gon came running to the doorway and both Leorio's parents melted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"Aw, Gon! <em>Mi amor</em>," Eleonora hugged him tightly, "oh you've grown <em>so much</em>!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Gon handed her a frog face cutout. She gasped. "I'm making these to glue on the wall!" he handed another one to Raul after they hugged each other and did a fist-bump, explosion effect included.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"Gon! ¿<em>Qué Pasa</em>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"Gracias!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Raul laughed, "well at least he knows some of his Spanish."</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"I try to give him lessons," Leorio said, "but you know he doesn't like sitting still for too long and learning before he starts zoning out, so he knows bits and pieces."</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"He's still young! I'm impressed!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Leorio welcomed them in, "you guys want lunch?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">Gon's still slapping frog faces on the wall because he finished his lunch early while Leorio quickly whipped something up for his parents. His mother loved making them grilled cheese when he and Pietro came home from school, or came back after spending hours playing outside with friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created">"I see you're growing the goatee!" Raul patted Leorio's face, his father was a tough guy, literally, because everytime he playfully hit Leorio it hurt like a motherfucker but he had to suck it up and pretend it he wasn't affected by it. He loved wrestling, so it's easy to guess who was the brunt of spontaneous bear hugs and suplexes on the couch unprompted while Arturo and Rafael happily fought with them and Alicia and their mother shouted at them not to destroy the house, as they tended to break furniture when they wrestled at the dinner table pretending it was a WWE match. As of the last time they had a family reunion... they still wrestled each other, except, Alicia joined in on it and they had a loving family brawl. No one other than Pietro would understand the oddness of their fucking family and probably never will.</span>
</p><p><em> <span class="token_created">"<span class="">¿Qué es eso en tu cara?" </span></span> </em> <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Eleonora touched his chin and she gasped. <em>"Te ves como un hombre lobo!"</em></span></span></p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Ma!" Leorio took her hand off. <em>I've been depressed</em>, he wanted to tell her, but she'd just laugh it off and think he's talking nonsense yet if he told her he saw a witch the other day according to the legends off Telemundo her face would've paled and she'd have an aneurysm. </span></span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Dad! I need more glue!" Gon shouted from the living room. Nog and Oiroel were sitting on his shoulders.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Check my office!" Leorio hollered, "but don't break anything!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Okay!" He ran upstairs.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"How's the hospital man?!" Raul asked enthusiastically, "you ghostin' on us now?"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"No! I just said I've been too busy to check Facebook."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Well Pietro told us Vera had their baby! You were at the baby shower!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Haha, that was pretty recent..." Pietro posted that all over his Facebook and Leorio had liked it, completely forgetting his parents could see when he was on their feed.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"How are they?"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"They're doing great, actually. Vera's on maternity leave, so Pete's lookin' into sitters to watch over her while she has to work."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"And Mito?"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"She runs a daycare now."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Eleonora grimaced, "...also, <em>el</em> <em>adicto</em>?" she reluctantly asked. Leorio rolled his eyes. </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"I don't think he's ever been okay, mama, and I don't think he ever will be." Ging terrified her, but her feelings toward the man was justified. </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Something crashed in the office. "My bad!" Gon said. Leorio massaged his temples. </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"I told you not to break anything!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Sorry!" He came running down the stairs, "I have the glue!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"He doing well in school?" Raul asked, "those frogs look cool!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Thanks grandpa!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"So talented!" Eleonora gushed.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Y'know he's doing better about the move than I thought." Leorio explained, "I was thinking he'd hate it here. He's fitting in just fine with all the kids, his teacher's <em>great</em>." he trailed off, thinking about Kurapika, and then he stopped himself before his parents noticed, "Mito takes care of him every other week, sometimes Zep and Pete help me babysit when he brings friends over. He's doin' amazing, actually."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"He's so adorable. A shame he's going to be my only grandson." Eleonora stared at Leorio, "no siblings?"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"What?"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"You promised me more grandchildren."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <em> <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Desde cuando?!"</span> </span> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Before you left for college."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <em> <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Fuck.</span> </span> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Leorio scratched his head. "I already have one!"</span></span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"What about with Stacy?" Raul asked, "last time I reached out to Raymond he said he didn't wish to speak to the man who hurt his daughter. I was heartbroken. I thought him and I were close since we met at that dinner!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"So about that..." Leorio smiled nervously.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"><span class="">Eleonora blinked, dreadful. <em>"Lo que le pasó a ese demonio?"</em></span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Ma! You can't just talk about Stacy like that!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">She shrugged her shoulders, acting as if what she said was reasonable. "I'm sorry, mijo, but I never liked that woman."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">She did call Gon a brat for accidentally spilling orange juice on her favorite dress when she came over, called Leorio's mother a bitch, and ignored their presence overall in favor of talking with their son. There was also her throwing herself at him when Gon was there in the same vicinity and she'd throw a fit if he told her that now wasn't a good time to do that in front of his kid and she'd simply tell the boy to scram somewhere else. Gon was four at the time, his honesty about her being too bossy wasn't because he was being rude when it was the truth and Leorio brushed it aside because her father supervised the hospital he worked at.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">He's glad he got out of it when Pietro and Zepile smacked sense into his brain that he shouldn't deal with his horrible girlfriend for increased benefits from his harsh boss.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"So about Stacy." Leorio brought up, given that she still thought they were together, he just hadn't talked about her for a reason. "We uh, we broke up."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"What?!" Raul asked, shocked, "you were telling us about how you were serious and planning to move in together!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Well there was a change of plans. I started rethinking things. I'm always busy with my job and she's working at home with her design business, it just wasn't gonna work..." <em>She was also insufferable</em>, and he didn't want that kind of attitude hanging around his son. She only claimed because of his money and his looks she even bothered to listen to her dad and go out with him, which was a red flag in its entirety, because Leorio thought he could change her mind. Boy, was he wrong. </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"<em>Pendejo</em>." Eleonora clicked her tongue, "told you she was bad news."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"It's been a while since I dated anyone, I wanted to give it a shot!" </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"And how did that go?"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Ma, I don't wanna talk about this."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"We have plenty of time." She said, "we're planning to stay here for a week at the hotel nearby. We figured coming to see you in person would get you to be more open."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Leorio sighed, "sure, be my guest!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Your mother and I were hoping you wouldn't be eighty without more grandkids by the next time we visited." Raul said, "now that we know you broke up with Stacy, well, she's just a little worried."</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"I won't be eighty." Leorio said, "Listen I'm still young and handsome, it's just... still not the right time," he added, drinking from his Gromit mug.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Eleonora sighed sadly, "<em>no serás joven y guapo para siempre</em>..." </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Leorio stared at her.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">She was right, but he was still offended, nonetheless. </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">She touched his chin again, <em>"por favor, afeitar esa cosa horrible!"</em></span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"What's wrong with it?!"</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <em> <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Es feo!"</span> </span> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">He just got told he had arthritis by his doctor. Now he had to think about grandchildren. His parents basically found out in his mid-thirties he's still single yet again, with all the money that could buy them a mansion or two, but he remained a single father. His father was fine with it, but his mother's disappointment was oozing off the dinner table if word got out to their grandmother she'd most likely faint. </span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">Something else toppled over and broke as Gon was climbing up high furniture to paste his frog-faces. Leorio turned around.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">"Excuse me," he flashed a smile at his parents.</span> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">He contemplated escaping through the balcony window so he wouldn't have to deal with societal pressure coming from his family.</span> </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="token_created"> <span class="">  </span> </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Not again!” Kurapika gasped. He saw the clock turn seven-thirty remembering that the meeting started thirty minutes ago.</p><p>He spent <em>all weekend </em>getting rid of all of Leorio’s <em>shit</em>, venting to his best friend on his bed while they ate ice cream, drank his feelings away, screamed their favorite songs at the top of their lungs and angered the neighbors then spent the end of it sobbing in Pairo’s arms about how much he missed his stupid ugly but handsome face and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to punch it or kiss it, or both. With a large bottle of vodka, he and Pairo cleaned out his entire apartment and the Sunday after their wild <em>Spring cleaning </em>party— as Pairo liked to call it, he pushed through his terrible hangover until he was satisfied, and everything was in a black trash bag which he threw in the dumpster behind the apartment building.</p><p>Leorio gave him <em>a lot </em>of gifts the short period they were <em>dating.</em></p><p>He passed out around four am and completely forgot to set his alarm.</p><p>Kurapika arrived at the school ten minutes before the meeting concluded, dropping on his knees and sneaking into the room by crawling across the floor again, quickly standing up as Cheadle was speaking to them.</p><p>“So we’re going to decide on a ballot since we all suggested different themes this year!” Kurapika was completely <em>lost</em>, as he had been dealing with the baggage that came with a somewhat <em>breakup</em> and the post-breakup depression that came hurtling through his window after it. (He hated how heartbreaking it was to have to bury his new vibrator six feet into the trash for it to be never seen again, unless the homeless man who liked to scavenge through the dumpster odd hours was looking for something new)</p><p>“Kurapika!” Bisky’s eyes landed on him, luckily Netero wasn’t here this time or he would’ve called out Kurapika for his tardiness, “make sure you cast your ballot before you leave!” <em>nevermind</em>, everyone had eyes behind the back of their heads.</p><p>“Hey bestie.” Pairo smiled at him as the room began to clear out.</p><p>“Um,” Kurapika asked the others quickly, “what, uh, ballot are we talking about?”</p><p>“For the school dance.” Machi said.</p><p>Kurapika laughed, “when did we decide—?”</p><p>“Oh!” <em>Chrollo’s </em>voice perked up, “so I thought it wouldn’t be fair if one person’s suggestion overpowered everyone else’s as it has every year, so we settled on a majority vote for a school dance theme.” he smiled sweetly.</p><p><em>“What.</em>” Kurapika gawked.</p><p>“Here you go!” Pairo handed him a ballot form, “anonymous vote, just pick whichever theme and place it in the ballot!”</p><p>It felt like time had been moving <em>so </em>fast, Kurapika watched everyone leave the classroom as he stared dumbly at the ballot form in his hands. That <em>twat </em>Chrollo decided to take over the planning committee for this year’s dance and Kurapika hadn’t even been informed of this change.</p><p>Kurapika fought the urge to crumble it up and throw it in the garbage.</p><p>He stormed into the staff room break period after casting his ballot, “Why did no one tell me Chrollo was running the planning committee?”</p><p>“We did.” Pakunoda said, “except you weren’t listening.”</p><p>“I was listening!”</p><p>“No, you were staring into space when Shal said <em>hey Cheadle assigned Chrollo to the event planning committee because Laura dropped out as co-leader</em>, and you said <em>yeah that’s great</em>, and then walked away.” Machi reminded him.</p><p>“Well I don’t want him to be co-leader!” Kurapika shouted, “I hate him!”</p><p>“That ain’t for us to decide.” Phinks said, “sorry, Peeks.”</p><p>“It’s <em>fine</em>,” Kurapika said curtly, sitting down in a chair. He noticed they were all looking at him weirdly. “What?”</p><p>“We heard…” Shalnark placed a hand on his chest, “we’re so sorry.”</p><p>“A-About?”</p><p>Pairo smiled sheepishly. “They forced me to tell them.”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes.</p><p>“There had to be a reason why you looked so off lately.” Machi said.</p><p>“I’m fine. Anyways, apparently there’s a school dance theme we’re voting on.”</p><p>“The poll ends this Friday!” Shalnark sang, “and guess what? Just like students ask students, teachers can ask other teachers. You know what that means!” Tensions in the room skyrocketed at his thrilling announcement.</p><p>“Fuck is this? Grade school?” Phinks asked.</p><p>“We work in one.” Shizuku calmly reminded him.</p><p>“I-I know <em>that</em>! But I think the idea’s ridiculous!”</p><p>“I think it’s cute.” Pakunoda shrugged, “you wouldn’t know, you never got asked to a school dance.”</p><p>“Alright, I got asked to <em>plenty </em>of dances, in fact, so many that I didn’t know who I should go with!”</p><p>“Crickets.” Feitan hid his mouth with his scarf as the room started cackling. Kurapika found himself smiling more than he had in a while, his shoulders relaxing. If dealing with Chrollo’s asshole self in his entirety meant taking his mind off all the shit he dealt with breaking things off with Leorio, he’d take what he can get.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re okay?” Melody asked quietly at the room got loud, and everyone started talking over each other.</p><p>“Yeah.” Kurapika nodded, “...it’s not easy, I’ll admit that. But hey, I can’t be sad about it forever, can I?”</p><p>“I can tell you’re still hurting.” She rubbed his arm knowingly, “take it easy on yourself. If you need anything, you have us. We asked because we care, not because we’re trying to mock you for it.”</p><p>Kurapika nodded. “You’re right,” he needed to get his shit together. “I don’t need that stress.”</p><p>“About that?” Pairo laughed nervously, “haha, so— about the dance— he’s gonna be chaperoning.”</p><p>On second thought.</p><p>God won’t give Kurapika a break even if he begged on his hands and knees for a reason to survive the next week.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Red Carpet </em>won the majority vote for the dance theme. The busiest part— planning. They set up station in the school gym about a week before, so gym periods migrated outside. It was hell for Phinks and Uvogin because they had to carry all of the equipment outside where students normally spent their recess periods, this meant that they got to spend an extra period playing outside, and an extra period for the teachers to bring <em>back </em>the gym equipment they busted their asses bringing out from the other side of the school and into seventy degree heat.</p><p>The gym needed to be cleared of all other equipment, so that meant taking down a few things and doing some moving around. The gym was closed down for the time being, they had to do measurements, agree on decor, lighting, refreshments, create a roster of all the kids that were going— Cheadle had even mentioned they were hiring a <em>live band</em> and they found willing volunteers, only because the band said that they wanted to invite along two friends who had free time on their hands to help out. It was an awkward introduction, they said their names were Gueira, Meis, and Lio— and Cheadle said she was happy to have them part of the chaperones for this event because they were severely lacking in willing parental volunteers.</p><p>It was ironic how most of them laughed about teachers asking other teachers was stupid and yet Kurapika had witnessed all his co-workers blatantly plan grand surprises and ask each other to the Spring fling— it was like being transported to high school when he was asked to dances he and he’d turn each and every single one of them down because he promised Pairo he was going with him and Pairo <em>only</em>… except, none of his co-workers asked him to the dance, not even platonically, and it’s <em>fine</em>. It was fucking ridiculous. His students kept asking him if he was going with Leorio and he had to tell them that he wasn't because they were just colleagues, and then they pointed out that Mr. Magcub asked Mr. Portor in the middle of the fucking hallway while everyone was watching, Feitan said <em>whatever</em> which was technically a yes, apparently, but they thought that meant Leorio was going to ask him too.</p><p>And then of course, everyone proceeded to lose their shit because the gym teacher just asked out one of the most intimidating elementary teachers in the fucking school. He's happy that they're finally getting somewhere since those two have been... at <em>whatever</em> they had going on for two years.</p><p>It was getting to the point where Gon straight up asked Leorio if they were going together himself, safe to say, everyone was immensely disappointed the two were planning on going separately.</p><p>He had to remind the kids that Leorio was just a helper, a friend, and a co-worker, so they should stop expecting him to be around <em>all the time</em>, and he felt guilty immediately after lashing out on them for bringing the man up while he was trying to go forth with an important lesson.</p><p>"Mr. Kurta?" Komugi silently came over to his desk while he rubbed at his eyes tiredly, running on three hours of sleep and bitterness. "Are you okay? You seem really upset with us."</p><p>Kurapika's heart melted.</p><p>He's a monster.</p><p>He didn’t understand why the dance proposals were making him feel so <em>bitter</em>. He didn't want to go with Leorio anyway and wasn't planning on asking, nor was he.</p><p>"It's just been a long day." He told Komugi, "I apologize, I don't mean to be hostile towards everyone."</p><p>"Is everything okay with you and Mr. Paladiknight?"</p><p>"Yes, of course sweetie..." He hated to lie, but they're already catching on his shifts in mood.</p><p>Leorio had stopped him when Kurapika dropped the kids off outside.</p><p>"Look, I really don't have the time—"</p><p>"You yelled at them?!"</p><p>Kurapika halted in his tracks at Leorio's vehemence. "I just raised my voice for a brief moment. They were being out of control and it's only normal to yell at them to stop."</p><p>"Those kids look up to you! You can't just <em>yell at them </em>because you feel like you're having a shitty day!"</p><p>Kurapika whirled around, glaring icily, "Why can't you just <em>go away</em>?"</p><p>Leorio blinked, "excuse me?! My kid goes here!"</p><p>Kurapika raked his fingers through his hair, wanting to pull it out, "all they ever talk about is you! <em>Mr. Paladiknight </em>this and that, they think I'm responsible for your presence in and out of the classroom constantly and keep asking me about you and I'm getting <em>sick of it </em>having to tell them that you don't even work here primarily and you're just being a good Samaritan upholding this sponsorship as co-leader of the PTA! You're everywhere! It's like they don't even see <em>me </em>anymore without <em>you</em>!"</p><p>"Well it's not my fault I was only doing my job!" Leorio shouted back, "you can't <em>blame me </em>for how they feel about me!"</p><p>"Why didn't you tell me you were chaperoning for the Spring fling?"</p><p>Leorio shook his head, "I'm only doing this because Cheadle asked."</p><p>"You're only making it harder for us to live our lives separate from each other when you're always getting yourself involved."</p><p>"That's exactly why I didn't tell you." <em>Well, that was another dagger to the heart. </em>"It's not your business if I come or not."</p><p>"I'd prefer you <em>don't</em>, for their sake. Because they're <em>far too attached </em>to you and it's affecting how I do <em>my </em>job."</p><p>"Oh yeah? Your favorite student <em>clawed my face </em>the other day because he already caught on to what was going on! They tell you about that?!"</p><p>"Killua?" Kurapika frowned, "no—"</p><p>"—yeah, I thought so. You're not the only one who's dealing with the shit we caused back there." Leorio said, "but for my son, <em>I'm going to that school dance</em>, and as many events as I want to. You can't stop me for wanting to be more part of his life. So if I can deal with it? You can. So suck it up, gorgeous."</p><p>Kurapika fumed. "Shave that beard of yours. It's the ugliest fucking thing I've ever seen. You look like a caveman."</p><p>"Why does everyone keep askin— you know what! Maybe I'll grow it more out of spite! You seemed to <em>love it</em> so much when we used to fuck. <em>Oh, more! Doctor! Yes!"</em></p><p>Kurapika gasped, "how dare you?!" he looked around hoping no one heard that, cheeks flushed.</p><p>"How dare <em>you?!" </em>Leorio retaliated, about to pop a vein himself at how infuriated he was.</p><p>"Ugh!"</p><p>"Gah!" </p><p>They walked away from each other. Leorio grabbed Gon's hand and told him they were leaving, but Killua looked helplessly at Kurapika storm off. He said goodbye to Gon and ran after him.</p><p>"Mr. Kurta?"</p><p>Kurapika quickly gathered himself, looking down at Killua. "What's wrong, hun?"</p><p>"I... I hope I didn't mess up things between you and the old man, I still don't trust him. But I was really mad that he did something that hurt you." Killua said anxiously.</p><p>Kurapika crouched down, softly rubbing Killua's shoulder. "It's alright."</p><p>"...So he's not giving you cooties anymore?"</p><p>"No." Kurapika laughed, "I think I'm safe, for now."</p><p>"I don't like when you're sad." Killua mumbled. </p><p>"What?"</p><p>"It makes school less fun, obviously." Killua said airily, "Gon asked me to the school dance. So if you're going alone, at least you have the rest of us." He strolled past with his skateboard in hand.</p><p>Kurapika watched him go.</p><p>"That little..." he sniffed, wiping his eyes with a tired smile.</p><p>They weren't upset because Kurapika yelled at them.</p><p>They were upset because their teacher was upset, and he wasn't telling them the truth about it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They suggested a bounce house. Kurapika said <em>no way in Hell </em>they're putting that fucking thing in the gym but it won majority vote of suggestion for the kids' entertainment. Kite came up with numerous designs for the gym according to their requests and the poor man had to shift between designs because Kurapika and Chrollo wanted different decorations. He was already iffy about the live band given they were a <em>rock band </em>that had zero experience performing in schools and not even a single Chuck E Cheese, but everyone thought the best of both worlds would be better, which was having a DJ <em>and </em>a live band. </p><p>They had to run it with Mizaistom, and he mentioned they didn't have the budget because the band was playing for free. So, Morel happily volunteered, earning strange looks among the staff members.</p><p>"Morel used to be a DJ." Knov informed them, "he'd do just fine."</p><p>No one knew this, however, as this was news to them.</p><p>"Great!" Kurapika just about agreed to anything at this point because he wanted to get the organization part over with as quickly as possible.</p><p>Between listening to Chrollo ramble on about the essence of Hollywood and why it needed to shine through the bland gymnasium they spent a week renovating, working, and surviving without murdering someone, he was contemplating if he should delete Leorio's number or simply change his contact name.</p><p>It didn’t feel right to delete it considering he was a primary contact it’d still be necessary to keep in touch and have his number saved. He kept putting it off until he went to Knuckle’s alone that weekend, a barely touched beer bottle in front of him as he changed Leorio’s initials to his name and removed the cheesy stethoscope and heart emoji next to his name. <em>There</em>, he thought. It looked… <em>professional</em>, <em>normal</em>, even.</p><p>Who’s he kidding?</p><p>The thousandth break-up song he heard this week came on the speakers, "<em>I get it already, shut up</em>!" he hissed to no one in particular upon hearing <em>Still Into You </em>three times today on the drive to work with Pairo when they just sang their heart out to <em>Ain't it Fun </em>the day prior. A man, currently sobbing to Knuckle about his relationship, looked at Kurapika, offended. He got up and left the bar, still crying very loudly.</p><p>Knuckled stared at Kurapika, frowning. </p><p>"Sorry." Kurapika said guility, it wasn't even meant for him. He looked down at his phone again. Leorio's contact name just said <em>Leorio</em> now and nothing else. Their last text message about an e-mail he sent regarding a newsletter related to charity donations. Leorio said he'd look at it, and that was the last response Kurapika recieved from him. He read Kurapika's reply, which was a simple <em>great. </em>And nothing else.</p><p>Why’s he overthinking this? Pairo told him that it was Leorio’s fault for blowing it <em>way</em> out of proportion than needed be. If anything, he thought Leorio would’ve taken it <em>way </em>lighter than he did. He deserved to be pissed about it, <em>of course</em>— but everything he said, knowing he’d clearly been drinking was like a dagger to the heart because some part of those words held genuine honesty.</p><p>That he felt like Kurapika was <em>using him </em>only to throw him away when he didn’t need him anymore, and it made sense. All of those gifts and the spoiling and pampering, it was because he didn’t want Kurapika to <em>leave</em>.</p><p>And it wasn’t what Kurapika was after, he didn’t care for all the material in the world or how expensive it was— he just enjoyed Leorio’s company and to be told he was taking it for granted, it was disappointing to hear, to say the least. He expected better from the man, and he’s surprised, because he was foolish enough to think someone who wasn’t over a relationship that’s long since faded away would drop that for something new.</p><p>“Alright. Seeing you look like this doesn't look good on me because I don't like any customers feeling all sad. You okay, Kurapika?” Knuckle, the sweet soul.</p><p>“I’m fine.” Kurapika swallowed more of his glass, “long week.”</p><p>“I can tell.”</p><p>Kurapika laughed tiredly, “sorry your favorite customer is ruining your mood.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. This place’s open doors for anyone who needs some alone time. If anyone gives you a hard time, I’ll give it to ‘em.”</p><p>Kurapika held his glass with both hands, eyes downcast. “Knuckle?”</p><p>Knuckle folded his arms over the counter, “what’s up?”</p><p>“...Did you know about Leorio’s ex-fiancé?” he blurted, “—ah— sorry about asking, I thought about asking Pietro but that would mean having to go to the hospital, and honestly I’d rather not do that.”</p><p>Knuckle’s face didn’t falter. “You mean Aura?”</p><p>“...Yes.”</p><p>“So he didn’t tell you.”</p><p>“I feel like there’s something I’m missing.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, they go way back.” Knuckle answered, “well you know that she passed a while back. While giving birth. It’s hard stuff. I don’t know all the details as much as Pietro does, he’s known Leo the longest. Zepile and I only met him in college but we were basically there the entire time, since the first time he met her and up until her passing. Him and Pete got into this huge fight and they weren’t talkin’ for a while and it was weird when we all split up, suddenly he’s telling us how he’s crazy about this girl he met at the hospital and it was crazy for all of us. I mean we thought he’d never take a break from studying and shit, we were the worst influences, thinking back on it!” Knuckle cackled, “but, uh, it really messed him up after she passed. Pietro was really worried about him, so they made up eventually. I hear it was after Leo tried to take his own life ‘cause of it.”</p><p>Kurapika leaned in, “...I’m so sorry.” he murmured, pitiful. “I had<em> no </em>idea.”</p><p>“He doesn’t tell just anyone about that kinda shit. Goin’ through that stuff fucks up a person, and he was scared telling anyone else would make ‘em think differently about him. Honestly, I’m not even supposed to tell you. But it’s because I’m worried about that idiot, I wanted to tell you.”</p><p>The whole story Leorio had been keeping from him— was out of fear Kurapika would leave. Another painful tug at his chest, processing everything. “—after Gon was born—”</p><p>“Yeah. She didn’t make it out the hospital.”</p><p>“I… I see…”</p><p>“Sometime ago a patient died at his work,” Knuckle said after, “so he’s not havin’ the best of weeks. It’s one of those times when he gets really hard on himself and he starts drinking and spiraling into this depressive cycle, and it ain’t easy to watch. But if he’s been distant, I don’t want you to blame yourself for it.”</p><p>Kurapika nodded slowly. “O-Of course, I just— he never told me any of this.”</p><p>“If he doesn’t bring it up, it’s usually best not to ask.”</p><p>He had a point, there.</p><p>“It’s the first time we’ve seen him happy, when he was with you. In a really long time, and we were happy for him.” Knuckle said, “but if he closes himself off after something tough like that happens I would suggest you give him some space.” he patted Kurapika on the shoulder and slid a glass of water his way, walking away to give him some privacy.</p><p>Kurapika swapped the beer to drink the water, sobering himself up. Idiot. He thought. <em>You were holding all of that in without even bothering to tell me about it? Even when I said it was okay to tell me? </em></p><p>It’s fine. Pairo said Kurapika wasn’t signing up to be someone’s shoulder to lean on and if he had baggage he should’ve brought it up to Kurapika sooner. It’s the fact that he didn’t trust Kurapika enough to tell him about it was what made it worse.</p><p>“The course of true love never did run smooth.”</p><p>Kurapika turned around. Another man was sitting next to him, blond hair, black jacket, a plain white t-shirt and ripped black jeans, wearing combat boots.</p><p>"A Midsummer Night's Dream." Kurapika said.</p><p>The man smirked.</p><p>“Wait a second,” Kurapika blinked slowly, some of the alcohol hadn’t gotten out of his system completely. “Aren’t you—"</p><p>"We have met before." The mysterious man said, "you may remember when you were on a school bus."</p><p>Kurapika leaned forward, "<em>that was you</em>?"</p><p>"Precisely." He drank from a martini glass Kurapika had no idea when he ordered. "Forgive me, we were off to a harsh start. My name is Lio Fotia."</p><p>"Kurapika." Kurapika nodded, "but— I thought you were from a biker gang, you're volunteering for our school dance."</p><p>Lio laughed merrily, "oh no darling, Meis, Gueira and I just like to ride bikes in our free time. I run a volunteer center and help the elderly, we play croquet sometimes. They're so lovely."</p><p>"Then why did you run into our bus?"</p><p>"It was an accident, we were in the area and thought we'd say hello to one of your co-workers. Gueira, being the idiot that he <em>is, </em>steered recklessly and hit the bus, and he didn't appreciate your anger so…"<em>he flipped the bird at them</em>. Lio shrugged. "Now what seems to be troubling you Kurapika?"</p><p>Kurapika found himself confiding in the stranger, "<em>everything</em>."</p><p>"Elaborate."</p><p>"Well first off I got really pissed off at my best friend for telling the guy I <em>really liked </em>about this bet we made on his job? Sounds incredibly <em>outrageous, </em>I am highly aware of that, we have these harmless betting pools and I thought for a couple hundred Jenny I could make something out of this. Again, <em>awful </em>of me. I didn't think we'd end up getting so close and he'd be basically a really good friend of mine who I also slept with, many times! Did I mention he happens to be the fucking <em>father </em>of a student that I <em>teach</em>? It's all so preposterous." Kurapika asked for another beer and aggressively downed it all. "I mean to be fair I just found out the student's mother passed away and he never told me about her, and it doesn't make it any better that I kept this a secret," he sighed, "I thought he'd take it more lightly but he calls me a fucking <em>gold digger</em>, the nerve of him! I barely spoke the language and sacrificed everything I had to move here and go back to school after I dropped out of law school and pissed off my <em>dickhead </em>I call a father to barely make above a standard pay grade to live in this highly expensive city, and he thinks I'm <em>using him</em> for it. It's insane! Absolute madness! And because of all this for the very first time I lashed out at my best friend and <em>we never </em>got into a fight this bad, not since I broke up with my first boyfriend." Kurapika exhaled tiredly.</p><p>"That's quite the experience you went through, my good friend."</p><p>"God, yeah." Kurapika snorted. "Fucking tell me about it. So now we haven't been talking much, well we have, his son, which I wouldn't trade for the world— goes to the school I <em>teach </em>at so even if I didn't want to see his fucking face I <em>have </em>to. Every single other <em>week</em>. And I got news that he agreed to chaperone at the Spring fling next week. I confronted him about it and he's like <em>deal with it, because I'm going whether you like it or not</em>. What the Hell is he thinking, after what we been through?"</p><p>"It sounds like you need to expel a lot of anger you're feeling." Lio said, listening attentively. "You believe <em>he </em>is at fault for how he reacted."</p><p>"Well of course! He <em>accused me </em>for being after his money! After constantly spoiling me with all these gifts and sending me money which I politely refused because I didn't want to feel entitled to his financial compensation."</p><p>"Have you ever wondered how <em>he </em>felt?"</p><p>"Well…" Kurapika shrugged, "he looked like he was having a bad day when I confronted him about, you know, the dead fiancé part."</p><p>"Hmm." Lio pointed, "there you have it."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Something must be troubling him. Something that is out of your control."</p><p>
  <em>The patient who passed. </em>
</p><p>"I see."</p><p>"He needs space. So instead of blaming yourself, I would blame it on bad timing."</p><p>"Well he still could've just <em>told </em>me."</p><p>"Reasonable. But you cannot force someone to share past traumas, as you would understand." Lio clarified, "he will tell when he is ready. It just sounds like a relationship where this mutual trust is reciprocated is out of his reach at the moment, and it is something he himself has to work out, and not you."</p><p>"You're… you're right." Kurapika massaged his temples, "thank you, mysterious stranger who just so happens to run a volunteer center and is chaperoning at our school dance."</p><p>Lio raised his glass, "my pleasure. Now excuse me, I must mysteriously vanish without saying a single word and leave you to ponder on how you should go about your situation. Best of luck. See you at the dance."</p><p>"Wait, what—" When Kurapika turned his head Lio was gone already. A tip was left on the counter next to a fancy black business card. Kurapika picked it up.</p><p>
  <em>Mad Burnish Volunteer Center </em>
</p><p>
  <em>For the LGBTQ+ youth and the elderly</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Opens from 9 AM-7 PM Monday's through Saturday's </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lio Fotia, CEO.</em>
</p><p>A pink and blue flame was printed on the back of the card.</p><p>"Did you see that?" Kurapika asked Knuckle, who wasn't even tuning into the entire interaction because he was cleaning up the bar.</p><p>"See what?"</p><p>This town was fucking <em>weird. </em>Kurapika grabbed his purse and headed out, taking the business card with him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Why am I here?" Mito asked.</p><p>"Well you're just as part of the family as we are!" Leorio said, "and you know Gon's taste, maybe you can help me pick out a suit. And you said you’d volunteer to come with Leila.”</p><p>Mito blushed, “t-this seems like a guy’s thing, though!”</p><p>"Ahem."</p><p>Leorio and Mito stared at Ging, who stood there proudly with his hands shoved in his pockets.</p><p>"I don't mean <em>you</em>."</p><p>"Court said I also have custody of the kid. So technically that means Uncle Ging can tag along."</p><p>"You asked to come last minute because yesterday you weren't even in <em>town</em>." Leorio said, again, typical Ging behavior. He asked Leorio <em>how's the residency </em>as if Leorio didn't complete his fellowship training five years prior and was no longer a resident, even <em>long </em>before that, and was currently practicing general surgery in a hospital.</p><p>Then a month later, congratulated Leorio on <em>getting into medical school </em>as he was very much still a surgeon with a certified medical license. He's always some form of high or wasted when he called Leorio on the phone he just resorted to going along with it and saying thanks. Aura's family was a strange bunch, no wonder why she despised her crackhead brother.</p><p>"Just let him tag along." Mito sighed. "Gon really likes him."</p><p>Ging gestured to Mito, “she speakin’ facts.”</p><p>“I don’t want you here anymore than he does.” Mito glared, “...think of this, however, as a bonding exercise.”</p><p>“Bonding exercise<em> my ass</em>,” Leorio scoffed, “when has this asshole ever made an attempt to hold a reasonable relationship with either of us?”</p><p>“I keep in touch!” Ging defended.</p><p>“You say happy birthday on my timeline every like, two years, and it wouldn’t even be on my birthday!” Leorio shouted.</p><p>“Uh,” Mito looked at the troubled store employee, “guys… might wanna calm down a little…”</p><p>“Maybe if you didn’t have a stick shoved up your ass you would’ve appreciated my efforts.”</p><p>“How do I look?!” Gon stepped out of the dressing room in a flashy green suit, and the three adults stared at the young boy, their argument ceased immediately.</p><p>They didn’t give a shit how many arguments they got into over other shit but when it came to their family they had to act like the sweetest family who always got along with each other.</p><p>Except… it physically hurt Leorio to see Gon wearing that suit.</p><p>“Yes—”</p><p>“—No.”</p><p>Leorio and Ging stared at each other. Mito quietly texted Pietro on her phone with a single word, <em>help.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Today was... an actually <em>much </em>better day. It was warm. He could wear his favorite jean jacket, white sundress and gold sandals, the commute was smooth, no scheduled meetings, posters hung up on the wall about the Spring dance being the buzz of the week.</p><p>He taught the class about plant life for science and they learned how to make plants of their own, each of them having a plant pot and a fresh seed to use to celebrate the warm Spring weather, and it was a good way to take a break from all the heavier lessons which he knew could drag a little. They enjoyed the lessons, a little rowdy, but more obedient as some of them never planted anything before and didn't want the experience to be taken away from them. He opened the windows and played some meditation music to ease the mood, letting the breeze in, read a book about plants during reading time and they had their first meditation session together surprisingly without talking through it and getting fussy. Some of them, however, mistook it for nap time. He hated to wake them up when it was time to go back to their seats.</p><p>"You seem happy." Killua commented, everyone cutting up paper and making a mess of their tables with their flower projects they were busy with.</p><p>"Why wouldn't I be?" Kurapika handed Pokkle the glue, "promise me you won't <em>drink it</em>," he warned, "we don't drink glue in this classroom."</p><p>"I was curious!"</p><p>"I already tasted it once." Gon said, "it's gross."</p><p>"It's good." Killua blurted, taking Kurapika's attention away from the others. "T-That you're happy." he grumbled, a slight flush on his cheeks. "I thought I'd have to beat up the old man again."</p><p>"What flower are you making?"</p><p>"A blue flower."</p><p>"Looks great."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yeah, very creative flowers I'm seeing here."</p><p>He pretended not to notice Killua's smile when he got up to visit another table.</p><p>They'd monitor their plant growth each day and remember to water it, of course, some students were sad when their plants were growing at different rates or not at all. So Kurapika would just tell them to start over with promises that their plants would blossom beautifully in another two weeks. Since their plants were occupying the window sill, Nemo had to be moved to the back shelf at the back at the classroom.</p><p>They actually banded together to plant something of their own as a class and leave it on Kurapika's desk. Apparently, plants make people happier.</p><p>He was able to say goodbye to Leorio without an argument breaking out, in fact, so cheerfully that Leorio was even stunned himself. Gon's rambling to him about the plants they were growing and the projects they made while Kurapika turned around and walked away, feeling like he could breathe again and act normally. He ignored Leorio's eyes lingering on his back as he walked back into the auditorium.</p><p>This was progress.</p><p>Kurapika came into his apartment balancing grocery bags in his hands.</p><p>Toodles handed him a letter sealed in a small red envelope she had in her mouth. He dropped the grocery bags on the kitchen counter, and she followed him.</p><p>"What's this?" he smiled. Kurapika took it out her mouth, some saliva was on it, but he ignored it in favor and opened the letter. She barked, demanding that he read it.</p><p>He unfolded the paper tucked neatly inside.</p><p>
  <em>Spring fling? (P.S no’s not an option.)</em>
</p><p>Pairo poked his head out from Kurapika’s bedroom, walking up to him hopingly. Kurapika rolled his eyes, smiling.</p><p>“You know you don’t have to ask me because everyone else is asking each other.”</p><p>“I know. Platonically, of course!” Pairo said, “duh! Sooooo?”</p><p>“Yes.” Kurapika answered. “I’ll <em>go with you </em>to the Spring fling.”</p><p>“Yes!” Pairo cheered, rushing up to Kurapika and hugging him.</p><p>“You planned this?” Kurapika laughed.</p><p>“Toodles loves picking things up with her mouth so I thought maybe I’d use this to my advantage and ask my best friend to the dance. We’ve had such a rough week together. Let me make amends.”</p><p>“I’ve been over that.”</p><p>“Still!”</p><p>Kurapika smiled, “we’re good, I promise.”</p><p>Pairo let out a sigh of relief. “I feel like I’ve been screwing up way too much lately.”</p><p>“I talked to someone, actually. One of the volunteers. At Knuckle’s, after he told me what was going on with Leorio and everything. I gave him a crash course on the whole drama and it kind of felt like I was talking to someone I’ve known my whole life, he made things sound so simple. It just reminded me of how much I missed… talking to you about <em>everything </em>and feeling so comfortable doing so. Forget about the bets. I refuse to let <em>anyone</em> come in-between our friendship, I've known no one longer than we've known each other, and best friends always make up anyway.”</p><p>“There’s no other bitch like me in the whole <em>world,</em> clearly. We both know this.” Pairo said, Kurapika laughed. “So who was the volunteer?”</p><p>“I believe he mentioned his name was Lio?”</p><p>“Ah, the hot biker guy who's not actually a biker?”</p><p>“...Yeah.” Kurapika looked at Pairo’s letter, “we should probably go shopping ourselves, shouldn’t we?”</p><p>“We should.” Pairo said, “but I missed freeloading. So how about this? We marathon <em>Tongue Tied </em> because I <em>really wanna know</em> what happens next after the football game episode, eat lots of ice cream, and then go shopping tomorrow?”</p><p>Sounded like the perfect plan.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Yorknew's <em>Red Carpet </em>Spring fling rolled around on a Friday evening, around six pm. The gym had been transformed completely to fit the theme's aesthetic, it looked nearly identical to a flashy Red Carpet walk.</p><p>Red balloons littered the direct entrance into the gym from the staircase, the red fence pole spanned down to the open doors and there was a table up front greeting everyone who walked in. The carpet itself connected to another which would blanket the gym in a celebrity photoshoot glow, gold balloons and curtains, pictures of famous figures on the walls and trophies, tables, and even a miniature stage was set up for the sole purpose of making room for the live band. The bland gym lights were placed with red and black ceiling drapes to accommodate the curtain lights.</p><p>One would mistake this for a ballroom rather than an ordinary gym, a grand table sanctioned near the row of neatly organized tables with refreshments. It's clear their budget mainly went into the <em>look </em>of the scene and less of the store-bought cupcakes and microwaved chicken wings among other snacks, and nothing straight from an expensive catering service. Cheadle and Bisky just wanted to follow the theme accordingly and they'd have to spend the last of their investments on all the other shallow things. The flashing lights and the neon blue lightning with the additional cheap disco ball was nothing short of the perfect touch of effort, a nice curtain backdrop for kids to take photos with their teachers.</p><p>Kurapika came into the gymnasium with a fitted black suit on, chain rings on his right hand and a silver chain necklace with Pairo, wearing a white suit instead.</p><p>“I thought we were matching.” Kurapika said, looking at his choice of outfit.</p><p>“No, I told you that I’d look good in a black suit, but I’d look hotter in white suit!” Pairo clarified, “Listen, this is a Red Carpet dance, I don’t wanna look like every generic oscar winning nominee.”</p><p>Kurapika took offense to that.</p><p>“You also look like you walked straight out the mafia.”</p><p>He was even <em>more </em>offended.</p><p>"Don't worry. We're the hottest bitches in this school dance." Pairo fixed his blazer, "time to wrangle six and seven year olds, you ready?"</p><p>"Yeah." Kurapika breathed. There was nothing to be nervous about. This was just work. They worked hard to make this gym into something special and he was pretty satisfied with how everything turned out.</p><p>"Wow, look at you two!" Pakunoda gestured to their outfits. She’s wearing a tuxedo with the dress shirt slightly opened while Machi wore an elegant rose gold ball gown.</p><p>"Can you believe Phinks finally ditched the track suit?" Machi told them. They all looked at the man in question wearing a dark green suit.</p><p>"Damn, Phinks!" Pairo hollered.</p><p>"Back at it again with the track suits!" The rest of them finished. He rolled his eyes at them.</p><p>"Real funny, assholes. You're just mad at how much swag I brought to this dance tonight."</p><p>"Right." Feitan snorted.</p><p>"I look good and you know it!"</p><p>Well Kurapika didn't have to worry about being underdressed. The school dance was meant for the young children who mostly came in with sparkly dresses and basic tuxedos, so identically similar that they all blended into one massive blob of well-dressed children save for a few who came in jeans and called it a day because their parents can’t be half-assed to invest in a fancy outfit, because this wasn’t to be treated like a ball when it was a six year old's version of a prom. Bisky liked to be inclusive, so she wanted their first school dance to be a little more special for them.</p><p>Some of the teachers still went <em>all out</em> with their outfits. Kite had a top hat and a black and blue suit that sparkled, and he had quirky fortune wheel pinned to his suit that <em>spinned </em>and he wouldn't expect anything less from the art teacher.</p><p>Kurapika would think<em> they</em> were attending the dance as the students themselves and not the swarm of children scattered throughout the gym. There was the gigantic bouncy house installed off to the side of the gym for entertainment purposes and Kurapika instantly knew that thing was going to deflate itself by the end of the night, which was why he strongly advised against it.</p><p>Palm, in her gorgeous purple evening gown and a gemstone crown on her head, had ice packs ready in the meantime to heal an army. She didn't even look frazzled at all and was fully prepared for this, It was only a matter of time before they had to start monitoring how many people were filling up the bounce house.</p><p>He frowned when he saw a man walk in, blazer and bustier, long dark hair billowing behind him and felt himself grimace— seeing the school janitor all dolled up for an event like this in his flowery suit gave everyone whiplash as they walked in hand-in-hand.</p><p>As if everyone didn’t already know they were screwing, now they had solid proof. Killua appeared from behind them in his light turquoise suit, a white rose tucked in the breast pocket and his friends had rushed up to meet him, parents walking in to drop their kids off to the gym and if they weren’t planning on staying to supervise the event then they had every excuse to leave and not come back until three hours later.</p><p>Gotoh and Tsubone, arriving after Illumi, Hisoka, and Killua, dropped off Alluka, Nanika, and Canary in their fancy dresses. They said they’d be back in another three hours and excused themselves to Basho who was guarding the door with a water pistol because Cheadle disapproved of actual guns, Pariston happily greeting every family that walked into the gym.</p><p>“What the fuck is he doing here?” Kurapika asked Pairo, as Illumi turned Hisoka’s face to him and shamelessly made out with him in front of blissfully unaware children and uncomfortable staff members.</p><p>“He volunteered.” Shalnark piped in in his bright violet suit and purple tie, already munching on a cupcake from the opened case.</p><p>“Since when?!”</p><p>“Last-minute!”</p><p>“He also brought Hisoka?!”</p><p>“As long as you’re not a murderer, anyone can volunteer.” Shizuku said, her dress was midnight black, long-sleeved with lace fabric with her hair curled in deep, loose waves. That was true, because Franny had bounced in in a rainbow dress and went around asking people if they wanted to see cool magic tricks. A crowd already formed around her.</p><p>They were just letting in anyone, it seemed.</p><p>Some of them were heading straight for the bounce house, and some playing games on the dance floor, or being entertained by the magic show Franny was putting with her cards which Hisoka proudly joined in on. Illumi was texting on his phone standing far off from the other kids, taking selfies.</p><p>Morel in his dashing gray suit and manbun, temporarily being the DJ until the live band arrived and as Kurapika checked his watch— they were thirty minutes late. Lio promised they’d <em>be here on time</em>, and he said he’d give them another call as he expected as much. Cheadle was wearing a off-shoulder forest green dress, her hair, neatly curled was tucked into a bun. She hurried up to him while he and Knov were casually talking (or flirting, who could tell) and told him to put on the<em> clean version</em> of songs because she didn’t want the children walking out of the dance rapping about capping people on the streets. He gave her the OK sign.</p><p>"You can trust me, Cheadle!"</p><p>"I sincerely hope so." She gruffed.</p><p>Kurapika kept idly looking at the doorway. <em>He wouldn’t come</em>, he thought. He might’ve agreed but things come up last minute and schedules get mixed up. And then he saw him walk in in the finest crisp red and black suit and <em>wow</em> Kurapika wanted to smack him for daring to look so handsome in anything that wasn’t his usual color choice in formal wear. All his co-workers were happy to see him, and so was Pairo, but he kept pretending that the poorly hanging disco ball was more fascinating.</p><p>He came in with Gon’s hand tightly clasped in his, and his eyes landed on the rest of the Pickled Pepper squad, letting go of Leorio’s hand so he could run off to his friends. He had a frog pin attached to his suit and it was the most adorable thing ever.</p><p>Mito came in with another woman, who Kurapika could assume was the <em>girlfriend </em>Killua mentioned to him the other week.</p><p>Leorio had walked up to him when Kurapika awkwardly stood guarding the snack table. They looked at each other.</p><p>“Kurapika.”</p><p>“Leorio.”</p><p>“...Good to see you here.”</p><p>“And you as well.”</p><p>Leorio nursed a drink in his hand. Kurapika gazed up at him stiffly even with the slight heel in his shoes, and then he cleared his throat, nodding.</p><p>“I hope you’re enjoying your night.”</p><p>“It’s going pleasantly, thank you very much.” Kurapika said irritably.</p><p>Leorio snorted, “I’m just tryna make <em>small talk</em>.” he emphasized, heated.</p><p>“You greatly succeeded.” Kurapika noticed his hair was trimmed and styled neatly, and he finally shaved that stupid fucking caveman beard and kept his usual stubble on his upper lip and chin. He almost looked different.</p><p>"What?" Leorio asked.</p><p>"N-Nothing."</p><p>No, his appearance before wasn't sexy.</p><p>Not even a little.</p><p>He's not lying, okay? Kurapika had <em>standards.</em></p><p>"We're taking pictures!" Gon said, running up to them.</p><p>"Pictures! Pictures!" The rest of the kids chanted.</p><p>They were already dragging their teachers to take photos with them and dance, pulling Kurapika and Leorio away from each other. The photographer was already exhausted because the kids wouldn’t stand still for the class photos and kept complaining they blinked, Killua awkwardly shuffled next to Kurapika— claiming that he wasn’t a fan of taking photos.</p><p>Maybe Kurapika was getting old, but he felt like he was getting an aneurysm when <em>Gangnam Style </em>had come on among other extremely old songs and watched the kids do what was their poor attempt at following the dance moves, and the way Leorio would happily join them. They glared at each other the entirety of the <em>Cha Cha Slide</em>, and Killua deliberately tripped him mid-way through and claimed it was an accident with a smirk on his face.</p><p><em>So that’s how it’s going to be,</em> they were going to enjoy the school dance separately as if this was a high school feud between that one couple that always broke up and got back together a day after— as if they weren’t grown adults that were here to chaperone energized children bouncing all over the place.</p><p>Only because he was being dragged to the dance floor with the other teachers he attempted to dance as well while not so subtly glaring Leorio’s direction that he wasn’t a miserable cunt and knew how to have fun too. Grabbing Pairo’s hand and joined everyone in a <em>Follow The Leader </em>train quickly as they circled around the gym with their hands connected to each other’s shoulders from behind.</p><p>“C’mere you little brat!” Leorio slipped on a fallen curtain and fell into the snack table. Killua was too fast for his own good, sticking his tongue out as Melody, wearing the same black suit as Basho and Kurapika had, rushed over to help him up. “He stuck a pin in my butt!”</p><p>“Too many kids are in the bounce house!” Bisky screeched in her sparkly pink dress, “if someone doesn’t get them out someone else might have their skull cracked open!”</p><p>“I got this,” Phinks removed his blazer and tossed it aside, “Hey, Leo, help me out.”</p><p>“Uh,” Leorio lifted himself up from the snack table, “Sure.”</p><p>“Good luck.” Pakunoda said, “those kids are feisty.”</p><p>“I ain’t scared of a bunch of kids.” Phinks laughed.</p><p>“There’s like, thirty kids in that bounce house.” Machi told him, “just let us know if you guys need back up.”</p><p>“No, no! We got this!” Leorio insisted.</p><p>“Give it five minutes.” Pairo and Kurapika came back to the snack table, and Pairo poured a drink from the punch laid on the table and he spit it out. “<em>Ugh, </em>what the fuck is this?”</p><p>“Punch.” Kurapika answered, confused.</p><p>“Pretty sure this is just red colored vitamin water.” Pairo handed Kurapika his cup, “don’t drink the punch.” Machi and Pakunoda were spiking theirs with a dash of vodka from their shared flask they were passing around like it were drugs, and the kids were running up to the snack table to pour themselves drinks they wouldn’t finish only to pour another one at least every five minutes.</p><p>"Am I late?!" Another man came in, wearing a <em>flaming red </em>tuxedo, literally, and he had a red top hat and everything.</p><p>"Oh," Lio waved him over, "that's Galo."</p><p>"How many people are chaperoning this dance?!" Kurapika asked. "The guests are exceeding maximum capacity for the amount of persons allowed in this room!"</p><p>"Oh relax, the more people the merrier!" Pairo said.</p><p>The force of six and seven year olds shoved Phinks and Leorio out the bounce house, and it hadn’t ended there. They ganged up on them and one of the kids was Killua, grabbing his legs and dragging him across the gym, stealing his shoe while they were at it.</p><p>“Oh dear.” Melody said.</p><p>“Help them!” Bisky shouted, and they bolted from where they were positioned at different parts of the gym to break up the scuffle going on. Safe to say they were displeased when a bunch of adults ruined their fun time by telling them to get the fuck out of the bounce house as they careened head first into each other, stumbling in and out to recharge and dive back in.</p><p>“That didn’t work.” Phinks panted, he and Leorio came back, clothes tattered and their neatly styled hair a mess.</p><p>“Told you.” Machi said.</p><p>“They bit me!” Leorio cried.</p><p>“We should close off the bouncy house for a bit, shall we?” Pariston suggested, “we give them time to dance a little more! Save all the fun time for later!”</p><p>As if they weren’t already beyond exhausted to have to haul the kids out of the bouncy house in groups and force them to take a break. Killua had accidentally deflated the whole thing with the pins in his suit and the rest of them came toppling out like a sack of potatoes, and then it burst into flames.</p><p>“Fun night!” Pairo chirped. Kurapika raked his fingers through his hair, taking a seat at one of the tables.</p><p>“The bounce house just got set on fire.”</p><p>“So how you holdin’ up?”</p><p>“Fine, actually.”</p><p>“You sure?”</p><p>“If you think I’m mad because you guys didn’t tell me he was chaperoning the dance, I don’t care.”</p><p>“Well whatever weird tension between you is clearly still there!”</p><p>“Just because we <em>broke up</em> isn’t the end of the world. We move on from it, go back to our normal lives. He has his things to handle, I have mine. End of story.”</p><p>Pairo didn’t look too convinced. “Sounds like… you need another little drinky.”</p><p>“Don’t say that.”</p><p>“Little drinky?”</p><p>“No. No more.” Kurapika said, which was a lie, because Pairo handed him another cup of piss-tasting punch while the bouncy house fire was aggressively being put out. He told them it wasn’t a good idea, from the injuries the kids withstood from shoving themselves inside, it deflating, and then the fire was a bonus. He wasn’t even sure <em>how </em>that happened. At least by then, everyone was out.</p><p>He saw someone stealing cupcakes from the table, and he thought it was one of the kids, but he turned around and saw Ging eating the cupcakes. He’s actually formally dressed for the occasion, not as according to the theme with the jeans and the button-down, but there was an attempt because he ditched the beanie and Kurapika wasn’t able to recognize him.</p><p>“Mr. Freecs?!”</p><p>“Yo!”</p><p>“Are you authorized to be in this building?!”</p><p>“I just said I was with Leorio.” Ging said, “I was bored and had nothin’ better to do. You mind if I crash y’alls little school dance?”</p><p><em>You already invited yourself. </em>Kurapika wanted to say, but he was left speechless as Ging nodded at someone else who walked past.</p><p>“Excuse me,” he said, strolling toward the dance floor.</p><p>Pariston must’ve let him in. Otherwise, Basho would’ve thrown him out in a heartbeat.</p><p>Kurapika wasn’t even going to get into that mess. He saw the way Leorio was dancing so carefree, and dragged Pairo who was busy mingling with Machi and Pakunoda back to the dance floor. “C’mon.” he huffed.</p><p>“This is the most I’ve seen you dance, half-sober, that is.” Pairo pointed out. Leorio was dancing with the other teachers (platonically, still, made Kurapika seethe at how nonchalant he was acting) and he twirled Melody around, happily taking her hands to dance with him.</p><p>“I’m enjoying myself.” Kurapika bluffed.</p><p>“Enjoying yourself is like, standing guarding the door or something. You never <em>actively dance </em>when everyone’s dancing.”</p><p>“I <em>know </em>how to have a good time.”</p><p>“You’ve been angrily looking at Leorio all night. You’re the worst at being subtle, Pika. Just let loose tonight! More punch, maybe?”</p><p>Kurapika nodded. He needed to let all this <em>anger </em>go, like Lio had told him. “Bring the punch.” he said lowly, thrusting his red cup in Pairo’s direction.</p><p>Cotton Eyed Joe came on and everyone dispersed from each other to quickly get into position and dance, Kurapika bumped into Illumi and they both sneered at each other.</p><p>“Watch where you’re going.”</p><p>“I’d tell you the same thing, since you’re the one without eyes here.”</p><p>“Kurapika!” Hisoka smiled sweetly, “it is very nice to see you!”</p><p>“Hello, Hisoka.” Kurapika grimaced.</p><p>“It is so lovely to participate in something so… <em>magical</em>.”</p><p>“Isn’t it?” Illumi sized down Kurapika, and he turned around, his hair flipped in Kurapika’s face in the process.</p><p>Pairo had to hold him back before he started swinging.</p><p>“Oh, <em>hello,</em>” Illumi said slyly to Leorio, catching the other man’s attention. “It’s nice to see you again, doctor.”</p><p>Kurapika never wanted to commit homicide so badly.</p><p>“Oh hey!” Leorio grinned, he was a little occupied because they were in the middle of a dance, but Illumi ran a hand down his chest as he and Hisoka sultrily gazed over at Leorio, “we got a party here today, don’t we?”</p><p>“A crowd’s even better.” Hisoka licked his lips.</p><p>“Aha.” Leorio carefully extracted himself, twirling around them as they clapped and repeated the dance.</p><p>“Kurapika!” Kurapika twirled and came face-to-face with Chrollo, his face morphed into disgust, “I didn’t know you had a single dancing bone in you.”</p><p>“Yes, well, change of plans. You’re also very mistaken.”</p><p>“We did a good job decorating this place, you and me.”</p><p>“Over my dead body we did.”</p><p>“Admit it, you need my artistic skills since I actually have experience.” Chrollo casually strolled off. The two worst people he’s ever met were testing his patience tonight, extremely.</p><p>“Let it go.” Pairo calmed him down. “Relax.”</p><p>Killua, Nanika, and Abdul requested that Morel to put on <em>Party Rock Anthem</em>, the dance floor parted like the seas for a dance battle and it’s clear the power of Machi and Pakunoda’s flask everyone had been borrowing was taking effect when each of them stepped into the middle to show off their dance skills, having some sort of one-on-one competition with each other.</p><p>"Oh my God!" <em>Hot in Herre </em>came on, and Pairo grabbed Kurapika's hands. "Pika this is our song!"</p><p>Kurapika huffed determinedly, like a man on a mission. "Let's do this."</p><p>"I was like, good gracious," the clean version cut out that part, so everyone just sang "<em>is bodacious</em>," and spit out the rest of the verses as they all paraded the dance floor.</p><p>"Give that man what he askin' for! Cuz I feel like bustin' loose and I feel like touchin' you! And can't nobody stop the juice so baby tell me what's the use?"</p><p>"I said," the whole dance floor joined in, "it's gettin' hot in here! So hot! So take off all your clothes!"</p><p>Pairo had been spiking more of Kurapika’s punch when he asked for another round, and he boldly joined the dance battle, going toe-to-toe with Leorio. Sometimes the kids would join in but they didn't have the most efficient dancing skills, but they were all so turnt up that they were hyping up just about any cool dance move the kids pulled off and they'd automatically throw the title of best dancer over to them.</p><p>Feitan slid in and spun on his head in a sick breakdancing move, admittedly wiping the floor with everyone that round. They knew he was buzzed as all Hell when he ditched his scarf to dance with them. They were more surprised when Ging busted moves on the dance floor and Leorio looked like he was about to explode, tugging Kurapika aside from a confused Mito and Leila.</p><p>“Why is he here?!” Leorio wildly gestured to Ging battling against Pariston while everyone cheered them on. It kind of looked like the scene in American Wedding when they had that dance-off at the gay bar except the vice principal was having a homoerotic dance-off with one of the chaperones.</p><p>Ging did a backflip and the crowd roared. Cheadle and Bisky shaking their heads at the sidelines.</p><p>“I’m just as confused as you are!” Kurapika said, “don’t blame me for it! I’m not in charge of the invitations and attendance!”</p><p>“But I’m assuming you <em>helped </em>plan this!”</p><p>“I didn’t ask him to show up. Are you sure he’s not with <em>your </em>group?”</p><p>“I told him <em>not </em>to come.”</p><p>“Yo, this dude is <em>epic</em>.” Shalnark wrapped his arms around Kurapika and Leorio’s shoulders.</p><p>“That’s. My brother.” Leorio admitted, strained.</p><p>“Really?!”</p><p>“Well we’re not blood-related but…”</p><p>“He’s wicked at dancing, dude!”</p><p>“Sounds like he’s blending in fairly well.” Kurapika smiled sweetly, “so you’d just have to deal with it as he’s already a favorite of the vice principal.”</p><p>Leorio glared. Kurapika glared back. Shalnark’s just nodding along to the music, oblivious to the tension between the two.</p><p>They would have to set aside their unresolved tension for the night because the kids’ night was more important, and petty drama shouldn’t have to come in-between that.</p><p>The crowd suddenly went still when someone parted the circle with their lanky arms.</p><p>"Step aside, novices." Netero took off his sunglasses, wearing a white suit with bright blue accents, the cleanest white shoes Kurapika's ever seen. He pranced in front of the circle and flipped into a handstand.</p><p>With one hand.</p><p>And then one finger.</p><p>Everyone <em>lost their shit.</em></p><p>"That man isn't human." Kurapika told Pairo dreadfully.</p><p>"<em>He's sick</em>!" Pairo gawked.</p><p>Well now they know who really won the dance battle.</p><p>It wouldn’t be a proper grade school dance if someone hadn’t already broken a thing or two, and they’d have to go running to assess the damage. So many things have toppled over as a result of children chasing each other around and play-fighting each other, using the gym as a battleground more than their personal playground.</p><p>Running around the large gym and trying to get them all in one place was an extreme sport. Killua kept terrorizing Leorio specifically. Kurapika knew the boy had a personal vendetta against the man but it looked like it’s solidified since <em>after </em>he and Leorio had that fight and when he confronted Killua about it he said just because he was letting his guard down around Leorio didn’t mean he had no reason to stop pulling pranks on him and bullying him, because tormenting the old geezer was funny.</p><p>Lio informed them the live band Meis ran arrived. They mentioned they were called <em>Dead Man’s Hand</em>. Gueira profusely apologized.</p><p>“We had to get all the equipment into the truck!” He explained, “and it was a lot of work, so we got kinda carried away.”</p><p>“You’re only about two hours late.” Kurapika reminded them, looking down at his watch. Morel’s been a pleasant DJ, so that’s to make up for the lost time.</p><p>“Hey! At least we’re here!”</p><p><em>“Get the stage set up.” </em>Kurapika demanded, at least they were all dressed appropriately. Cheadle apologized to Morel he had to keep them entertained for too long, but he didn’t mind one bit, the band quickly set up stage and grabbed a hold of the mic.</p><p>Meis was the last to walk toward the stage because he said helping them set it up would make his makeup melt off. He ran into Illumi, and the two of them stared each other down. They started weirdly mirroring each other's actions, eyeing one another like a hawk.</p><p>"What is going on?" Gueira asked.</p><p>"Uh. Hello? Meis?" Lio snapped his fingers, "the stage?"</p><p>"Right." Meis walked away, glancing at Illumi one last time. He ran up the stage and grabbed the microphone.</p><p>“Hey. So. Sorry we’re late.” Meis spoke into the mic, “How’s all the kiddos at Yorknew doin’ tonight?”</p><p>Everyone cheered, the music ceased as Morel stepped away from the DJ set-up, which was just a school laptop and a playlist which was already remixed for the occasion to join the other staff members. None of their bosses currently present had any idea that they were getting through this night with the help of alcohol.</p><p>“We perform at the volunteer center sometimes, but we never performed at a school before.” Meis added, “so I’m kinda nervous, but what the heck? Let’s get this show on the road. Hit it.”</p><p>They got right into the song. Shalnark helped release the fog machine positioned at the back of the gym so it slowly spread across the gym, Kite and Shizuku were blowing more balloons to release into the open for the kids to grab while the band played their upbeat song. Like Lio had promised, the song was clean, kid-friendly, and suited just for everyone to jive out to. Everyone was getting a little restless, so the band might’ve saved the night from turning into a major disaster.</p><p>"So what do you guys do other than volunteering?" Kurapika asked, wanting to make small talk.</p><p>"I'm a kids football coach!" Gueira yelled over the loud music, "Lio runs the business, so that's his main job! Meis and I just help out while he has his band stuff!"</p><p>"That's interesting!"</p><p>"Isn't he <em>awesome </em>or what?! That's my husband up there!"</p><p>"Very!"</p><p>Through the kids inhaling Helium through the balloons in their hands, Kurapika and Leorio’s gazes met. Kurapika hadn’t realized he’d been smiling and laughing so much until their eyes met, and Leorio had the same pleased expression on his face while everyone circled the dance floor, grooving along and having the time of their lives. Even Cheadle and Bisky were relaxed, admittedly, the two were getting closer since the slow dance. It was as if the dance was bringing out the romantic side of everybody yearning for each other there was no escape.</p><p>Abdul was going around giving everyone flowers to put on their clothes or hair. Natasha helped put a red rose in Kurapika’s hair.</p><p>“You should talk to him!” She encouraged, “you think we didn’t notice you’ve been skirting around each other all night?!”</p><p>“I don’t want to make things awkward.” Pairo and Natasha rolled their eyes.</p><p>“That guy’s clearly still head over heels for you!” Pairo said, a yellow rose tucked in his suit. “You see the way he stared at you during the slow dance?!” The slow dance he shared with Pairo he pretended to ignore the eyes boring holes into the back, he was so focused on trying to focus on anything <em>other than </em>Leorio. He was meant to enjoy this school year with his co-workers, his precious students, Killua being the happiest he’s ever been holding hands with Gon and his friends, the two boys wearing the same white rose on their suits.</p><p>“Talk to him!” Both Natasha and Pairo urged.</p><p>“I don’t know if I’m ready yet.” Kurapika said. He admitted the whole <em>I can enjoy my night way better than you can </em>feud between them was getting ridiculous at this point, because the both of them were ignoring each other’s feelings purposefully for the sake of everyone else, and disregarding what happened between them like they agreed on. They were only doing what was suggested of them, putting it past them and moving on. He remembered what Knuckle said, about how Leorio needed space, and he should’ve been over any petty feelings. Pairo and Natasha exchanged glances.</p><p>“Maybe you need to dance more, huh?” Pairo suggested.</p><p>“Mr. Kurta!” Gon handed him a balloon, “Killua said if we breathe on the balloon it makes our voices sound funny!”</p><p>“No more ingesting Helium.” Kurapika said, “it will make you pass out.” A kid already passed out nearby from all the balloon huffing.</p><p>“Aw, but it’s really fun!”</p><p>Pairo tried it already, “hey, my voice sounds super weird!”</p><p>Kurapika sighed, laughing at their antics. Okay, fine. He'll let this go and be more of a fun teacher tonight.</p><p>"Are they Helium balloons?" He asked Pairo, referencing that one <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihgaopaSfb0"><strong>vine</strong></a> in the best Irish accent he could muster.</p><p>"Ah, for fuck's sake!" Pairo happily went along with it.</p><p>"I told you the car's not able to 'old Helium balloons!"</p><p>"Ah, it's too late, now we're flyin' away!" </p><p>They laughed at each other. </p><p>When the songs had ended, Meis asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to sing a song for the Hell of it. “C’mon, don’t be shy!” he winked, “any teachers willing to take one for the team?”</p><p>Leorio hobbled up the stage. “Gimme the mic.”</p><p>“What is he doing?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Volunteering!” Pairo said excitedly.</p><p>“And what’s your name, handsome?”</p><p>“Leorio.” He whispered something in Meis’ ear, and Meis tossed him the microphone, holding his bass guitar.</p><p>“Looks like we got a volunteer! Leorio’s gonna sing something tonight!” The crowd hollered. Meis counted down, and they got right into the <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qCdFRiS31E">song</a></strong> he requested.</p><p>Well.</p><p>It could’ve gone worse than Kurapika expected, but once again, no one was remotely as sober as they were when they walked in and they were down to lose their marbles to anything at this point. With the children running on cups and cups of soda and vitamin water punch they just about bopped to anything that came on. Boy, did Leorio sing his heart out on that stage and get the crowd pumped up.</p><p>He looked so fucking <em>ridiculous </em>dragging the wired microphone when he jumped off the platform and danced his way into the moving crowd.</p><p>It’s impossible to get over this man. There’s absolutely <em>no way</em>, and maybe it’s the rounds of spiked punch Pairo’s been handing to him and the way the lights shined on his every move as he pretended he was performing in front of an angry rave and not a school gymnasium.</p><p>There were two months left in the school year.</p><p>Kurapika didn’t know if he’d last another second trying to adjust himself to how he lived his life before Leorio came crashing into it.</p><p>He had to leave. The music still blared from inside the gym as he walked up the stairs and headed further into the hallway.</p><p>“Hey,” Basho called after him, “you okay, Kurapika?”</p><p>“Yeah I just— need some fresh air.” He needed to relax anyway, he’s been on his feet for most of the night and being in a crowded space too long with too many people talking at once became overwhelming. He told Pairo to watch over the kids, sitting down at the front entrance of the school. He fished a cigarette from his suit jacket, lighting it up— relieved to inhale the smoke into his lungs after he’d been itching too for a while.</p><p>He didn’t have to know who was behind him to address them.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You left so suddenly.” Leorio sat down next to him.</p><p>“So you care now all of a sudden?” Kurapika joked weakly, “thought no one would notice.”</p><p>“Pairo said you left.”</p><p>“I needed fresh air.”</p><p>“Understandable. It’s… <em>wild </em>in there.”</p><p>“I know, I’ll come back soon.”</p><p>“Let’s hope they don’t set anything else on fire.”</p><p>It’s the first time they were civil in the past three hours, laughing gently as gazing at the empty streets. The ground thumped from the music playing indoors.</p><p>“How was your first dance?” Leorio asked.</p><p>Kurapika took another puff, “my what?”</p><p>“Your first school dance? Not as a teacher, I mean, like. In general.”</p><p>“Another attempt at making small talk.”</p><p>“Don’t be an ass, we’ve been on a rough footing all night and I’m just trying to make it shift a little.” Leorio scoffed, “so? Tell me.”</p><p>Kurapika arched a brow.</p><p>“Fine, I’ll go first.” Leorio leaned back, showing Kurapika that he wasn’t planning on going anywhere so he’d have to deal with it. “Sally Locklin. I thought she was the love of my life when I was like, twelve. Pietro had this girl he was dating already and wanted us four to go together. I’m all excited ‘cause you know, she finally said yes after I put a note in her locker. We go to the dance and all and she ends up leaving me for <em>Lance</em>.”</p><p>“Unfortunate.”</p><p>“He played soccer!” Leorio said defensively, “she left me for a soccer player! Because athletes are ten times hotter because y’know, they play sports! It already makes them popular, and there’s me, who tried out a couple sports and hated it because I sucked at it. Pete did play soccer for a couple years, but Lance was way better than I could ever be. Anyways, he stole her from me and she basically ditched me and I was the only kid sittin’ on the bleachers while everyone had their glorious middle school dance.”</p><p>“I would’ve gone Carrie.” Kurapika said after some time.</p><p>“What? Like— <em>kill everyone in the gym with telekinetic powers?</em>”</p><p>“Oh, absolutely. You were basically made a laughing stock of everyone by being ditched by someone else, and left alone."</p><p>“It was nothing! I mean, I felt<em> terrible</em> about it. The only kid who ended up not havin' a date, and I wasn't... the most popular guy, I know, someone as handsome as me now is so hard to believe." Kurapika rolled his eyes with a snort.</p><p>"Anyways, Pete ended up inviting me to dance with him and his girl at the time— and well— I felt <em>so much</em> better. I didn't care about Sally and Lance after. It wasn’t like someone dumped pig’s blood on me and made me feel like shit for being a loser.”</p><p>“Still would’ve done it.” Kurapika shrugged. Leorio laughed incredulously. "What? What she did was justified! I've dealt with <em>way </em>too many bullies to disagree."</p><p>Leorio smiled. "Okay, I <em>digress. </em>Still fucked up what happened in that God forsaken movie. You ready to tell me now?”</p><p>“I didn’t ask you to tell me your horrible school dance experience. You told it to <em>me </em>unprompted.”</p><p>“I wanted to!”</p><p>Kurapika sighed, putting out his cigarette and rubbing his hands together. “It was this guy Pairo set me up with. He did that a lot when we were still going to school together. I only went with him because he asked and I ended up ditching him because I didn’t want Pairo to feel lonely. As you know, Pairo went with no one, he’s aromantic.”</p><p>“Well that makes sense.” Leorio nodded. Kurapika waited for Leorio to say something else.</p><p>“It sounds stupid I did that, doesn’t it? Ditching someone else the same way Sally ditched you for a soccer player.”</p><p>“You did it because you care about your best friend more than some guy you’re just going to a dance with.” Leorio reasoned, “if Pete was going to a dance alone and I had a girl or a guy, anyone, really, he set me up with come along… well… before it’s too late I’d tell them that I’d rather make sure my best friend’s happy and has a good time.”</p><p>“We had a fun time together.” Kurapika said, “...I mean it when I say I was always taking care of him that I didn't let myself really live my life unless he forced me to. Between <em>everything</em> we went through. I wasn’t even going to go until he convinced me. If he’s in trouble I’d drop everything just to make sure he’s happy. My mom told me best friends can be soulmates too, and even family, people you imagine that you can't ever live without...”</p><p>He noticed Leorio's intense gaze and felt himself grow nervous. He didn't want to share too much. Not after he told Leorio he prefer it if he stayed out of his life.</p><p>Kurapika placed a hand on the rail and stood up. “I should get going.” he murmured quietly.</p><p>“Kurapika.” A hand covered his. Kurapika shivered at the warm touch.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Leorio whispered.</p><p>Kurapika bit his lip, refusing to look at Leorio.</p><p>“What I said that day—" Leorio continued, desolate, "I spent <em>every single day</em> regretting it. If I could go back in time and say the right words—”</p><p>“—no, it’s fine.” Kurapika said, “you were right.” About everything.</p><p>“But that doesn’t <em>make </em>things right.”</p><p>Kurapika turned around to face him, “why didn’t you tell me about the patient that you <em>lost</em>?”</p><p>Leorio stayed silent, hesitant.</p><p>“Did you think I’d judge you for it?”</p><p>“I didn’t want to<em> burden</em> you with it.”</p><p>“You didn’t trust me enough, either.” Kurapika replied, “to tell me about your fiancé, or your work, and then you accuse me of using you. It’s like you pushed me away before I got too close.”</p><p>“I didn’t want you to find out that way.” Leorio confessed, “I was going to tell you.”</p><p>“When?”</p><p>“I don’t know— when it’s time—”</p><p>“—when will it be time?” Kurapika intervened, exasperated, “We tried to make it work, but what about Gon? Or am I just going to be your dirty little secret?”</p><p>“You know that’s not what I mean—”</p><p>“—if your job is going to come between us, your past, <em>your mess</em>,” Kurapika emphasized, shaking his head, “then I’m not willing to risk getting my heart broken by you again, because it’s not going to work and it can’t.”</p><p>“We can.” Leorio approached him, “Kurapika <em>trust me </em>I wanna be with you, I’m just not ready yet.”</p><p>“I don’t know if I can wait long enough.” Kurapika pleaded. “For you to figure whatever it<em> is </em>you need to figure out.”</p><p>“But I cherish our friendship more than anything,” Leorio said, “it might not be the same. But I don’t wanna lose it over something stupid I said because I had a lot to drink and I wasn’t thinking.”</p><p>“And we won’t, but… part of you meant it. What you said.” Kurapika said quietly, looking Leorio in his eyes, the regret in them— that he’d get lost in if he didn’t look away. “We shouldn’t make hopeless promises and force something we can’t keep.” he took Leorio’s hand and squeezed it, turning around.</p><p>Leorio rushed up behind Kurapika and grabbed his arm boldly.</p><p>"So let's make one we can keep." Leorio said ardently, "because I'm in love with you."</p><p>Kurapika gasped, Leorio spinning him around and kissing him passionately. He dipped Kurapika down, and Kurapika held Leorio's cheeks, sighing happily, and there were random falling rose petals in the air as they were the only two on the front steps of the school's front door entrance on the dance night with the beautiful hanging banner hanging up above and—</p><p>
  <em>Record scratch.</em>
</p><p>That didn't happen.</p><p>Kurapika let go of Leorio's hand, walked back into the school and Leorio didn't follow him. Instead, helplessly watched Kurapika leave. As much as he hoped Leorio would fight harder for him. Kurapika couldn't bring himself to believe he was telling the truth.</p><p>Also, this wasn't every romance novel on the planet.</p><p>When he headed into the building, Basho wasn’t guarding the door and talking to Melody about something as everyone was present in the gym save for a few people coming in and out to use the restroom and talk.</p><p>He saw a man wearing a black hoodie swiftly walk past him and into the gym, snapping out of his daze after he basically told Leorio that it wasn’t the right time for them to start over and they should remain friends.</p><p>He never saw that man before.</p><p>Kurapika saw the glint of a knife in the man’s hands as he shoved it in his pocket. He was heading for the gym. Kurapika’s heart dropped.</p><p>No one was guarding the door because they didn’t think anyone suspicious would walk into the dance. When did he get here? He was just outside with Leorio, unless he came from one of the unlocked entrances unnoticed.</p><p>“Wait!” Kurapika ran after the man, <em>“stop!”</em></p><p>The man started running. Kurapika jumped down the staircase and into the gym, the dance was abruptly put to a halt when they caught sight of Kurapika chasing after him.</p><p>He was headed straight for Killua.</p><p>He was fast, but Kurapika was faster. Before he could withdraw the knife, Kurapika swerved in front of Killua protectively. He jabbed the attacker right in the nose with his chain-linked hand, knowing it'd do a lot of damage, he punched him again hard enough to pop his nose and grabbed his arm, turning him around.</p><p>Kurapika yanked his arm back harshly and lifted him with full force, whirling around and tossing him across the gym. Everyone screamed as they closed in on the intruder.</p><p>“Get him! He's got a knife!” Basho commanded. The man scrambled up to his feet and tried to run, but Phinks caught him in time so the rest of them could reprimand him.</p><p>"Oh no you don't!" He tackled the man from behind to the ground, football style. "We got you now you damn bastard."</p><p>"I'll be taking this." Feitan yanked the knife out of his hands, "we don't bring knives to school, wise-ass."</p><p>The intruder grit his teeth, accepting his defeat.</p><p>Morel yanked him up. Machi removed his hood and it was a man that none of them had recognized. But he looked beyond senile, a bandage on his bony cheek as dark, mussed hair, eyes bloodshot, a grin on his face as he looked directly at Killua.</p><p>"Tell your mommy a little friend said hey." he licked his lips. Kurapika hugged Killua close to his chest protectively.</p><p>“Call the police.” Cheadle told Shalnark. He nodded, taking his phone out. "All the children must be escorted to the bleachers, no one must leave this gym until the police has arrived."</p><p>Illumi grabbed Hisoka's hand and they slipped out of the gym. All the other chaperones were closing in on the commotion, hysteria in the air that someone had slipped among them and tried to assault a child.</p><p>"I'll talk with the police," Pariston said, a little shaken up. Ging subtly placed a hand on his arm in a way Kurapika would only see a trusted partner do. </p><p>"I can come with."</p><p>"This isn't your business."</p><p>"But I'm here now, aren't I? One of the kids here almost got stabbed." He sounded more sober than he did earlier tonight, noticing the tension shifted drastically since then. </p><p>"<em>Someone</em> has to talk to the police." Bisky told them, "they're on their way any minute now. The rest of us will stay here. Phinks and Feitan will take that man to them."</p><p>The teachers rounded up the confused children, asking what was going on as the man was hauled outdoors for the cops to take him away, Killua went rigid behind Kurapika, who placed his arms on Killua’s shaking shoulders. </p><p>“Go follow Gon.” Kurapika whispered. Gon was waiting for Killua to follow him and the other kids where they were being led to a corner, the dance night was going to conclude then and there, and their parents would be called to get them immediately.</p><p>“Did he hurt you?” Killua asked, the crack in his voice made Kurapika stiffen. "He tried to <em>kill me</em>."</p><p>“Don’t worry about me, just go. Okay? We’ll take care of it.” He told Killua, stroking his hair as he guided him toward the other kids. Killua held onto Kurapika's hand.</p><p>"I wanna stay with you!"</p><p>"You must stay with the other teachers."</p><p>"Where are you going?"</p><p>"I'm going to go get help."</p><p>"C'mon," Pakunoda took Killua away from Kurapika, but he kept claiming that he wanted Kurapika, the tears in his eyes and his screaming as they all rushed to calm Killua down, Gon and his friends included, most of them were crying and holding each other as the devastation of their magical night ending affected everyone. Palm's giving the kids water, the teachers simmering them down as they cried for their parents. Morel's telling all of them not to go anywhere except for those who were turning the assailant in to the police. Kurapika's eyes watered as he backed away, the urge to scoop Killua in his arms and soothe his worries strong.</p><p>But he had to go.</p><p>He started to feel something wet forming on his suit.</p><p>"Kurapika?" Melody asked, "are you okay?"</p><p>"I'm fine. <em>Watch them.</em>" Kurapika told Pairo and Melody. Leorio had walked into the gym, and Kurapika evaded him, claiming he was going to see if he could get more help from anyone in the hallway. He quickly slipped out of the gym, using his blazer to cover the stab wound on his left side that began to bleed. He looked at his bloody hand, the chains on his knuckles he used to punch the attacker stained with blood, Kurapika's eyes turned bright scarlet at the sight of it, letting out a shaky breath. He hid behind the wall— praying that no one noticed the blood staining his white shirt beneath his blazer when he walked out and excused himself.</p><p>He got texts from Pairo.</p><p><strong>Pairo [8:45 P.M]: </strong>Kurapika, what's wrong?</p><p><strong>Pairo [8:45 P.M]: </strong>Where are you?</p><p>Kurapika replied to Pairo with two words.</p><p>
  <em>Emperor Time.</em>
</p><p>He turned around, trying to navigate the halls as his vision began to blur.</p><p>“Kurapika?”</p><p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p><p>Leorio had noticed the commotion on his way back to the gym, and he followed Kurapika back outside where he was hiding. He noticed his hand clutching the stab wound on his side and his eyes widened.</p><p>“Go back inside.” Kurapika whispered.</p><p>“What happened?” Leorio asked lowly, rushing over to Kurapika, “I saw the text you sent Pairo, I knew you were in trouble.”</p><p>He only sent texts like that if he was in serious trouble, but it was meant for his closest friends only— a promise that meant they wouldn’t get involved and let Kurapika handle it on his own.</p><p>“The kids need you, Leorio… please, just, go back to them… back to Killua…”</p><p>“No way in Hell am I leavin’ you to bleed to death here.” Leorio grabbed Kurapika’s shoulders, “were you planning on going all the way to the hospital by yourself?!”</p><p>"I don't <em>want </em>to go to a hospital." Kurpika hissed. Admittedly he didn't think this far other than dealing with it by himself and hoping he didn't pass out too soon. "I can't afford to have anyone <em>worry</em> about me."</p><p>"You got <em>stabbed</em>, Kurapika!"</p><p>“Please go back.” Kurapika begged, “they can’t… they can’t see me like this.” he slurred, stumbling in his step. </p><p>"I <em>can't do that</em>—"</p><p><em>"Please protect my child!" </em> Kurapika sobbed.</p><p>Leorio's eyes went wide, Kurapika stumbled into his chest and felt his knees buckle beneath him— a desperate whimper escaped his lips. He was trembling so much and his head started spinning that the words had come out unprompted. "Please protect him, I beg of you—"</p><p>“I will, but we won't go back." Leorio squeezed Kurapika's shoulders, "I'll take care of you. And I'll tell the others to look after him." he murmured, "he'll be safe... he's with Gon. Everyone will keep the kids safe."</p><p>Kurapika gently pushed him back, “you can’t… you can’t come with me— L-Leorio—”</p><p>“—<em>fuck that</em>. I’m gonna help you myself. Wrap your arm around me.” Leorio said gently.</p><p>"Leorio—"</p><p>"<em>Put your arm around me,</em> God damn it. Before you bleed to death." Leorio groused arrogantly.</p><p>Kurapika shakingly hooked an arm around Leorio's neck.</p><p>"That's it, now the other." Leorio coaxed. Kurapika slipped his other arm over Leorio's shoulder, his eyes growing heavier as his breaths got shallow.</p><p>"I'm getting blood on you," Kurapika whispered frantically, Leorio shook his head.</p><p>"I don't care. I've done this my whole life," he clicked his tongue, "you're stubborn as Hell, y'know that?" He hooked his arms under Kurapika’s thighs and lifted him up. Kurapika gasped, unfortunately, far too weak to protest, going limp against Leorio’s side for support. “Stay with me, Sunshine, okay? <em>I swear I’ll save you.</em>” his voice was soothing in Kurapika's ears.</p><p><em>"A good doctor always comes when they are called." </em>Leorio said, determined. "I ain't lettin' anyone else <em>die on me </em>again."</p><p>Pairo and Melody definitely told Leorio that Kurapika was in trouble.</p><p>Kurapika’s steady grip on Leorio’s shirt lessened when he started running for the exit. He heard a couple other frightened voices, yelling, but they all blurred together and sounded faded as his eyes grew heavy-lidded, his blood stained Leorio’s shirt.</p><p>He whispered Leorio’s name one last time before the world turned black.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter: OH SHIT (OH SHIT)</p><p>Cabrón = dude</p><p>El chico tiene pinche problemas = The boy has fucking problems</p><p>Tú también = so do you</p><p>¿Así es como saludas a tu familia = is this how you greet your family</p><p>¿Qué Pasa? = sup</p><p>¿Qué es eso en tu cara? Te ves como un hombre lobo = What is that on your face (the beard) you look like a werewolf</p><p>El adicto = the (drug) addict (ging, LMAO)</p><p>Desde cuando = Since when?</p><p>Lo que le pasó a ese demonio? = What happened to that demon?</p><p>No serás joven y guapo para siempre = You won't be young and handsome forever.</p><p>Por favor, afeitar esa cosa horrible! Es feo = Please shave that awful thing, it's ugly.</p><p>Thank you Adri for the translation lessons.</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. sit back and relax, we fix broken hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Kurapika recovers from the incident with Leorio's assistance. Things change permanently when they come across terrifying news about Killua, which may bring them all even closer for the better.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i kinda mentioned that this chapter focuses less on the filler-arc "subplots" so it's not like your usual chapter where it contains even the slightest part of it. technically, this would be the first part of the new arc (the charity run) as mentioned on my twitter!! BUT THIS PART focuses more on the main plot, which is generally more on the serious side!!! so this chapter contains plot-heavy and a bit of suspense elements i wanna wrap up as we proceed toward the end of the fic. we only have a few chapters left as planned :(((( i hope this journey has been just as enjoyable for all of you as it has for me so far! this chapter was probably the most difficult for me to write.</p><p>also i know yall just wanted the chapter where its Yorknew V. The Zoldyck Family SO BAD so you're WELCOME. ITS HERE. SHITS ABOUT TO MF GO DOWN.</p><p><b>tw</b>: mentions of child abuse, cops being Bastards, sensitive topics</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kurapika woke up in the comforts of his own bed.</p><p>He felt something warm snuggled next to him. It was Toodles. He let out a sigh of relief, his hand gently petting across the top of her head.</p><p>The covers were neatly draped over his frame, just below the bandage wrapped around his torso.</p><p>Someone knocked on the side of the door to his bedroom.</p><p>“Knock knock.” Pairo popped his head inside, “wakey wakey!”</p><p>“I’m not dead.” Kurapika wanted to clarify that this wasn’t some kind of near-death experience dream he was having and he was passing away in a hospital bed in reality. But this felt very real, alright, Toodles licking his palm and crawling up into his lap.</p><p>“You’re very much awake, actually.” Pairo sighed, “maybe next time though!”</p><p>Kurapika snorted.</p><p>“I made soup.” Pairo had a bowl in his hands as he skipped over to the chair he dragged into the room by Kurapika’s bed, taking a seat. “LP’s suggestion. Since, like, he’s not able to be here to check up on you today.”</p><p>Kurapika sat up, feeling the soreness in his ribs at full force.</p><p>“No no! No!” Pairo set down the soup quickly and pushed Kurapika back on the headboard, “I already knew you’d go all gang-ho the second I mention his name!”</p><p>“How is he?” Kurapika asked. He recalled Leorio swept him in his arms and left the building, but he had no other recollection of what had happened after he passed out. “The— the dance? E-Everything—”</p><p>“After everyone shut it down they put the whole gym on lockdown. The cops took away the guy that did it, and we had to make sure all the kids at the dance got sent home safely and as soon as possible.” Pairo said, “and then Leorio asked me and Melody to follow him.”</p><p>“Follow him where?”</p><p>“Here.” Pairo replied, “to stop you from bleeding to <em>death</em>, duh. Like, I’ve seen TV shows where doctors save someone but he <em>very sexily </em>took the reins and told us what to do while you were passed out in wonderland. It was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. He stayed with you all night.”</p><p>He imagined Leorio sitting right there, where Pairo was— carefully watching over him. His heart swelled. The night could’ve ended with the two of them reconciling, and going back to the way things were before they crossed the line. They would’ve concluded the night successfully.</p><p>“Thanks.” Kurapika accepted the soup. He made a mental note to thank Melody later for helping him out.</p><p>He remembered Leorio promising that he’d save him, and that he wasn’t going to let anyone else die on him again. It was a refresher, replenishing his energy with a lukewarm bowl of soup in the morning after he left it resting there for a while.</p><p>“I must’ve worried you.” Kurapika murmured.</p><p>“No shit you did!” Pairo said, “you took a knife to the rib for us!”</p><p>“But they… no one else found out, did they?”</p><p>“Mmm…” Pairo was hesitant to answer, “a couple of us?”</p><p>Kurapika slumped against the headboard, “this is exactly what I feared.”</p><p>“Listen, after what you did for Killua— if anything, you <em>saved </em>the night from turning into something that could’ve been worse.”</p><p>“Killua,” Kurapika set the finished soup on the bedside, his right hand holding his hip, “how is he?” he asked Pairo, frantic.</p><p>“He’s home.”</p><p>Kurapika shut his eyes, “oh my God.”</p><p>“But all of us are bound to be questioned by the police.” Pairo said, “everyone kinda knows that a student <em>from our school </em>was the one that freak was after.”</p><p>“But <em>why</em>?” Kurapika asked, “<em>he’s a child</em>.”</p><p>“I don’t know.” Pairo shrugged, “but can you put it past that family to get themselves involved in something that would lead up to that?”</p><p>He wouldn’t say that the Zoldycks set a perfect example of a <em>perfect </em>family— far from it— after all, he had to physically present himself in front of them to even convince them to be part of his son’s life for a brief moment. But nothing had changed much after. Killua was back to his normal self, the bruises didn’t stop appearing but they surely lessened after the talk. He barely heard from either parents other than their butler. Surely he had to be there to take them back home after the dance had ended, and that was the end of that.</p><p>“I know that look.” Pairo said, “the one where you’re deeply contemplating. <em>You</em>, are in bedrest. For <em>a week</em>, and at least a couple more days.”</p><p>“No no,” Kurapika shook his head, “I have to <em>work</em>.”</p><p>“Natasha can cover for you! She’s your TA for a reason!”</p><p>“I can’t have them worrying about what happened to me!”</p><p>“She’ll tell them you’re sick and taking a few days off. It’s allergy season. I’m sure they’d understand that teachers get sick <em>all the time </em>and have a substitute cover for them for a couple days.”</p><p>This was why Kurapika <em>hated </em>getting <em>sick</em>— maybe it was because he couldn’t stand being away from his beloved class for more than a day, or maybe it was because he liked to self-sabotage with his workaholic tendencies. He’s aware this was different because he got stabbed, and this wasn’t just your average Flu.</p><p>He grumbled to himself, “I suppose that could work for the time-being. But I can’t help but fear for Killua, <em>and </em>his siblings. They don’t have any idea what’s going on.”</p><p>Pairo didn’t really know what to say to that, “that’s something we can’t fix ourselves.” They both knew that wasn’t the best-case scenario to be alright with, but it gave Kurapika slight reassurance that they’d be in trusted hands.</p><p>“I told Leorio last night that I wanted us to be friends.” Kurapika confessed.</p><p>“Excuse me bitch, you did what?!”</p><p>“I panicked!” Kurapika said, “he wasn’t ready for a relationship and I told him that I can’t just sit around waiting for him to magically say <em>yes </em>like a damsel in distress, I turned down a man my own mother was a hundred-percent sure I’ll marry for this! All for nothing!”</p><p>“Pika, you’re not fooling anyone but yourself. You’re both trying to protect yourselves from hurting each other, because neither of you are ready.” Pairo told him frankly.</p><p>“I don’t want us to fight anymore,” Kurapika said, “I missed how everything was when we met. He’s like my best friend more than anything and I don’t want to lose that because we couldn’t work together in a romantic relationship the first time.”</p><p>“A best friend second to me?” Pairo wanted to clarify, “because no musty ass man is beating me in first place.”</p><p>Kurapika snorted into both his palms, “second to you.” he smiled. Pairo always knew the perfect way to calm him down, “I’m just scared I messed things up between us after last night.”</p><p>“That man risked sleep for you. If he didn’t want to be part of your life, he wouldn’t have even been here!”</p><p>He’s right.</p><p>“Maybe you’re not meant to be right now, but you can still be friends. That’s good at least. Right?”</p><p>Kurapika’s phone went off and it was the notification for a video call. Toodles started wildly barking at the phone. He gasped when he saw Leorio’s name on the screen.</p><p>“Leorio’s video-calling me.” He dreaded, “oh my God I’m a <em>mess</em>.”</p><p>“Are you gonna answer it?”</p><p>“Should I?!”</p><p>“He saved your<em> life</em>,<em> of course</em>!”</p><p>“Uh,” Kurapika threw the covers off. He was changed into a comfortable tank and shorts with his dirty suit swapped out to add to the laundry pile, quickly fixing his hair and panicking, “does it look okay?!”</p><p>“Let me—” Pairo crawled on top of the mattress and fixed Kurapika’s hair for him. “Damn bitch you need a proper brushing.”</p><p>“We don’t have time for that! He’s calling <em>now</em>!”</p><p>“The sexy bedhead look is fine! It gives a <em>hashtag I woke up like this </em>vibe, y’know?”</p><p>“Are you sure?” This was the first time they were talking <em>post-stabbing</em>, he’d rather look <em>hot</em>— why was he overthinking this anyway it’s just another friend calling him on the phone. A <em>friend</em>. Who just happened to be Leorio, who he dated briefly, then wasn’t.</p><p>“If you don’t answer that call then I will.” Pairo said sternly. He got off the bed and took Kurapika’s bowl away.</p><p>“You’re leaving?!”</p><p>“I gotta get more groceries if I’m taking care of your ass anyway, you should pay me for caretaker privileges.”</p><p>Kurapika tapped on the accept button, his heart pounding wildly. He lifted the phone to his face. He didn’t normally <em>video-call </em>people other than Pairo because he loved video-calling every chance he got when they could just have a regular phone-call. And since it was his trusted friend he knew for years, he didn’t have to <em>care </em>about how he presented himself and could look as hideous as he pleased.</p><p>It looked like Leorio was in his office when he picked up, <em>“hey, Sunshine.”</em></p><p>
  <em>Sunshine.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Well one thing hadn’t changed, after all.</em>
</p><p>“Hi.” Kurapika smiled nervously.</p><p><em>“How you holdin’ up? I’m sorry I can’t be there I had an early mornin’ shift, and I already kinda pulled an all-nighter accidentally when I stayed over, heh…” </em>He laughed nervously, <em>“the wound’s not too bad, it’s just a good ol’ fashioned puncture wound and since you had a lot ‘a layers on, he didn’t dig too deep where it’d be too concerning. So we stopped the bleeding, stitched it back together and got it all cleaned up.”</em></p><p>“You stayed over all night knowing you had a shift in the morning?”</p><p><em>“Mito was watching Gon for the night. He kept her up too, since that happening had everyone all shaken up. She didn’t want him leaving with me thinking it’d be too dangerous to tag along and see something like that… especially with you.” </em>He said.</p><p>Kurapika had a lot to say, a lot he had on his mind from last night he wanted to address— a jumble of emotions he kept in his chest until it threatened to burst. That Leorio, his friends, went through such lengths for his safety.</p><p>“Leorio, I— <em>I owe you my life</em>,” he breathed, <em>because he did. </em>Everything he felt poured out into those mere words alone. He wouldn’t have even made it out the building if he left alone.</p><p><em>“Nah, it’s the complete opposite, actually.” </em>Leorio smirked, <em>“You owe me, but not with your life. You owe me by recovering until you can become a functioning part of society again.”</em></p><p>Kurapika fought the urge to roll his eyes, he didn’t know what he was so nervous about before, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders. “What’s the plan, doctor?” he smiled coyly, leaning against the pillow propped up on his back.</p><p><em>“Ballpark? Two to three weeks. But since it wasn’t that big of a killer wound, a pretty puny one, should be a little less. That’s only if you get plenty of bedrest, some proper cleaning, pain-killers, change the dressing, I had Pietro drop by and leave some spare bandages, I know, a lot happened while you were out cold those fifteen hours— and don’t worry, you’re medically excused from work and that was approved by your bosses the moment they found out you were out of commission. We had to tell them to save your ass. Anyway, we gotta make sure that bad boy doesn’t get infected so he could get on outta there as soon as possible.” </em>Leorio explained. Kurapika noticed the bags under his eyes when he removed his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. “<em>So whatever Pairo tells you he’s just relayin’ the advice I gave, you can’t argue with your doctor’s orders, a’ight?” </em></p><p>Kurapika smiled a little. His chest felt warmer than it did before, even if Leorio wasn’t physically beside him. It felt like he was there next to him, soothingly comforting him through it all. “Get back to work, Mr. Leorio.”</p><p>He heard a faint noise of something beeping.</p><p><em>“Way to jinx it.” </em>Leorio took a messy bite of what looked like a honey bun, as they both laughed like this was a regular day, and absolutely <em>nothing </em>had changed after all.</p><p>“Thank you.” Kurapika got it in now before he didn’t have the chance to.</p><p><em>“I’m just doin’ my job, don’t gimme all the credit, gorgeous.” </em>Leorio stood up from his chair, <em>“alright I gotta go. You better be a good little patient for me, get that sweet beauty sleep and bed rest. Expect me to drop by later for a check-up.”</em></p><p>“Careful with your words there, before I break a few rules.” Kurapika teased. This all felt so <em>normal</em> again he was getting a little carried away, “goodbye, Leorio.”</p><p>
  <em>“See ya soon, okay?”</em>
</p><p>Kurapika’s heart skipped a beat at the softness in his voice. The call ended. Kurapika held his phone to his chest, sinking down until his head hit the mattress and he laid completely flat on his bed. Toodles curled up next to him, more relaxed.</p><p>He didn’t think he’d be able to lie in bed so patiently until then.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Pairo came back with plenty of groceries. Since Kurapika would be cooped up in his apartment recovering for the next two weeks, more or less— he had to sit his little behind in his bed or bear with the special treatment.</p><p>Leorio came over later like he promised, he wasn’t alone, though. He came alongside Gon and he gave Kurapika another potted plant he planted at home by himself that he wanted to give to Kurapika as a gift.</p><p>He left it on the window sill of his kitchen, promising that he’d take very good care of it from now on. Leorio changed the dressing and did all the gritty wound cleaning himself, as much as Kurapika protested that he could just tell him how to do it and he’d figure it out on the way in case he wasn’t here. Leorio refused, said he’d use his days off, or the hour after his shift was over and use that freetime to come and monitor his recovery over time.</p><p>Kurapika found it aggravating how Pairo magically found an excuse to be out of the house the second Leorio came over, as if it wasn’t an elaborate scheme to leave them alone. But he’d treat Kurapika likely the same way he’d treat any other patient. Ask how he was doing before he’d do some evaluations, a bit of joking around here and there to ease the awkward tension of being half-naked in front of someone Kurapika had slept with on numerous occasions. This was different, because of how intimate it <em>felt</em>, the way he couldn’t help but shiver when Leorio’s hands were on his bare skin.</p><p>That same spark he felt when they first touched never left. In fact, it grew stronger each day. He’d look forward to Leorio’s <em>doctor’s visits </em>(<em>“You mean dick appointments.” “Pairo, I swear to God I will end you, stabbed or not stabbed.”) </em>even if they were strictly professional and he’d conclude the visit with a run-down of the care plan, given Pairo would be the one taking care of him at home— but he’d have to also step-up and do things himself since Pairo was working and so was Leorio— and if he needed any help to give him a quick call and he’d try his best to answer in a timely fashion.</p><p>Technically, Kurapika wasn’t his patient <em>on paper</em>— but he had the skills and the means of looking after him and addressing his concerns as much as any medical professional would. So outside of work, Kurapika was an out-patient of his own. If his supervisors had found out Kurapika wasn’t admitted to the hospital they’d probably have his balls on a silver platter, so between him and his colleagues, they were keeping it on the hush-hush.</p><p>He wanted to believe that this was just <em>work </em>for Leorio given this whole thing happened because of what he did for Killua. He willed himself to ignore the lingering touches when Leorio held his hand, the tenderness in his voice, the way he treated him with so much <em>care</em>, a second away from leaping from his seat the moment Kurapika stumbled in his step when he was able to walk on his own without hunching over and complaining about soreness in his lower hip. It was never that bad, but admittedly, he took Pairo’s advice in faking it <em>just a little </em>so Leorio had an excuse to stick around a little longer. <em>Just a little. </em></p><p>He enjoyed his company too much to watch him leave when he saw him out the door. Even offered to bake a few goods for Leorio to take home with him so he’d have something to eat when he came home, leave something on the table he could take from— sometimes Gon when he tagged along. His co-workers showed up to leave a few get-well gifts, and Kurapika’s bedroom started to look more like a hospital room with all the flowers.</p><p>Leoeio re-introduced himself on a whim one afternoon, sharing with Kurapika everything about himself. From the parts of where he grew up in a struggling family to wishing one day he could be the one putting a roof over their heads when they needed it, for his best friend to survive his illness and spend time with him like the old days and take on the world together. How he could start a loving family with his soulmate and live peacefully knowing he'd make it out there until his dying breath doing what he did best.</p><p>"So tell me about you." Leorio said. "And don't sugarcoat anything. I like to get to know the people I'm taking care of. So they feel more comfortable around me."</p><p>Kurapika never wanted anyone as much as he selfishly wanted Leorio.</p><p>And so he told Leorio about himself.</p><p>Everything.</p><p>From the disappointment he brought to his father after planning on graduating college early for law school admission only to break down from the pressure a year along the line, the joys he experienced with his only best friend he'd ever made, the comfort of having a loving family, Pairo's wonderful parents and his grandfather's sound advice about living their youth, helping his mother teach Kurtan kids of their troubled communities. A shift in his drive that forced him to start his life over when he barely turned twenty and dropped everything so he could do something for himself for once. How relieved he was realizing that he made the right decision after all, for what he fought for, and that he never wanted to regret it. Ever.</p><p>And the way Leorio had smiled at him and said, "nice to meet you, Kurapika. I hope you and I can have a better start this time around."</p><p>Kurapika felt like a weight had been dropped off his shoulders.</p><p>"I thought the real me would turn people away."</p><p>"Well you being the grandchild of a <em>village chief </em>basically was <em>surprising</em>, to say the least. Isn’t your dad basically like a senator?”</p><p>“It works differently there, but you can see why I’m hesitant to tell people.” Leorio looked like he had many questions, “<em>ask away, doctor</em>.” he snorted, “I know you’re dying to.”</p><p>“Are you <em>sure </em>you’re not the next <em>Karate Kid </em>because I’ve seen you beat the shit out of people like three times now, and there’s no way that’s a natural born feat.”</p><p>“See, not everyone is fond of my father being elected the power of jurisdiction. The eldest Kurta would be elected the leader of the village by inheritance, and when my grandfather eventually passes he will have to leave the power of the district court to him. As you can see, the Kurtas made mortal enemies in the past several years, so my grandfather said if we don’t learn how to fight back, we’d be putting our lives at risk. My uncle helped train us at a very young age. We might be a big family, but we’re part of a small community that outsiders felt so threatened by and not everyone agrees with the rules.”</p><p>“You were trained to prepare to fight for your <em>life</em>?”</p><p>“...It sounds ridiculous when you put it like that.”</p><p>“No shit, Pietro and I liked to parkour to impress the girls and guys we liked when we were teenagers. Maybe we picked up boxing for like, a summer.”</p><p>“Lukso’s very different.” Kurapika said, “our country’s had a history of common preconceptions and struggled with gaining our independence. We’re very aware of the power that we hold. I could’ve been part of that.”</p><p>“So why did you leave?”</p><p>Kurapika shook his head, “...I didn’t want <em>any</em> of it.” He laughed, “I know, it’s crazy. Being born into a family you knew had this much power and how you can benefit from that. But I looked at everyone else’s lives and how they looked at us differently because of it. How they think Kurtas were a bad omen and bring nothing but chaos, and I lost so much, and Pairo was the only person who <em>stood</em> by me. And I wished I had a life like <em>his </em>and the rest of my family who could live however they pleased without an entire legacy breathing down their necks. I <em>will</em> always stand for our people and what we’ve lost, but there’s many ways you can fight for others and give them the right to turn their lives around for the better. My father has done a lot for our people, but he has also angered many. I can’t shoulder the burden of hundreds, or even thousands, we lost fighting a war for freedom. For turning my back on them I’m not sure if he can look me in the eye anymore,” he shrugged, “but this is what I want.”</p><p>Leorio understood where he was coming from. “Then you can do whatever the Hell you<em> want</em>. No one else can stop you but <em>you</em>. And some fucking generational inheritance plan shouldn’t be able to decide your future! There was many times when I thought being a doctor wasn’t meant for me if people were gonna end up dying left and right in front of me but if I let that get to me, I wouldn’t even fucking be here. But you know why I didn’t stop? Because I made a promise to my parents I won’t let a single person slip away from me like Pietro almost did and he stood right by me. Don’t give up. <em>Fight for what you want.</em>”</p><p>Maybe that was exactly what Kurapika needed to hear.</p><p>“Leorio, I want to fight for these children.” He said, “even if that means I need to lay my life on the line.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“<em>No one </em>deserves to go through any kind of pain. I just can’t allow it.”</p><p>“Then I’ll help you.” Leorio promised, “you and I, we’re a team. We never stopped being one since the day we met.”</p><p>Kurapika’s eyes watered as Leorio took his hands.</p><p>The recovery process became a little more bearable.</p><p>When he was well-enough to leave bed and walk around for longer, he’d be the one getting groceries for himself— needing the exercise. He jogged down the block to catch-up on what he’d missed out on, began changing his bandages with finesse and watched how the wound was healing up nicely— feeling satisfied with himself. He rearranged his bedroom and had to do some cleaning because he spent quite some time bedridden and didn’t want to place to turn into a pigsty, realizing that the lovebook he left on his desk— closed— he hadn’t thrown away in his drunken Spring cleaning session after he broke up with Leorio.</p><p>He must’ve forgotten to.</p><p>But how can he? This was a gift from him, but it contained letters from his <em>class </em>and his friends, throwing that away would be throwing away <em>their </em>gift to him as well. Tying up a trash bag of junk he left lying around, making room for the flowers piling up in his room. He sat down on his bed and looked through it, stopping at Killua’s letter.</p><p>There wasn’t a second through this all he didn’t think about the boy. It didn’t sit well with him, that he was <em>here </em>while that situation was likely being resolved. But Leorio was right, certain things happening were out of his control and the only thing he could do was <em>support </em>and leave it at that instead of wedging himself somewhere he didn’t belong.</p><p>However, whenever he looked at the boy, he had the urge to <em>take </em>and <em>protect </em>and those urges grew louder the longer they spent time together.</p><p>When he was able to (he bothered to even ask Leorio if he was allowed to be more productive now that his wound had healed properly) he started working on lesson plans at the comfort of his bed. It just so happened this was the final-check up session with Leorio, and Pairo and Gon were there with him. Gon was making paper cranes with green construction board paper while Pairo sat on the bed with Kurapika, keeping him and Leorio company and making the last day of “check-ups” a little more festive, wanting to celebrate Kurapika’s recovery without making too big of a deal about it.</p><p>...Since it just so happened to be that Leorio’s last doctor’s visit landed on his birthday, unfortunately, and he was bedridden and <em>stabbed </em>and not able to celebrate in a way that he liked. Pairo poured him sparkling champagne anyway and handed it to him, it was non-alcoholic, so Gon was able to have one— and being told happy birthday by a few close friends Kurapika was fine with it as he wasn’t one for grand gestures and fancy big parties anyway.</p><p>“To spending your twenty-ninth birthday sitting in bed and being a cranky old bitch.” Pairo raised his glass, “Pika you’re my best friend I love you <em>so </em>much, so unfortunate you had to get stabbed that we can’t get <em>wasted</em>, but this is the best we can do.”</p><p>“I appreciate you, and hate you, very much.” Kurapika raised his glass slightly from where he sat on his bed, legs crossed. “Thank you.”</p><p>“Birthday!” Gon handed Kurapika his finished crane, “for my favorite teacher!”</p><p>“Aww, thank you sweetie.”</p><p>“You toughened it out.” Leorio took his hand and squeezed it, as if the gesture wasn’t so bold as it looked— Kurapika’s cheeks reddened at the action, “pat yourself on the back.”</p><p>They had their toast, sealing it by drinking the sweet, apple champagne.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Pika, you can always injure yourself again stupidly so LP can come see you.”</p><p>Kurapika let any curse words die down in his throat for Gon’s sake, Kurtan expletives were an exception because neither Gon or Leorio could understand but those two and he stuck to that. Gon asked if Pairo wanted to see something else he was working on, but he left his backpack in the living room so they both left the bedroom.</p><p>Leorio’s hand hadn’t left Kurapika’s.</p><p>“I’m proud of you.” He said, thumb brushing over Kurapika’s knuckles. “What you did for everyone back there, that was <em>amazing</em>.”</p><p>“I know danger when I see it. I had to do what needed to be done.”</p><p>“But you <em>saved his life</em>.”</p><p>“I know,” Kurapika sighed, “and I haven’t even seen him once since then.” He had called. Gotoh said he was alright. But that was pretty much the end of it. It could be that it wasn’t their job to say <em>much </em>and only reported the surface of what was currently happening and left it at that as their well-being was confidential.</p><p>“He’s alright, and that’s what matters. Yeah?”</p><p>“Yes, but—”</p><p>“I get it.” Leorio said, “you’ve gone soft on ‘im. <em>Really </em>soft. You treat him so much like your own.”</p><p>Kurapika flushed, “It’s only natural for me to <em>want </em>to look out for him.”</p><p>“It’s fucked, what happened.” Leorio removed his glasses to tuck into his shirt, “I mean, how could that even happen?”</p><p>“We’re not sure… the Zoldycks don’t have the best reputation.”</p><p>“To go after a <em>little kid</em>?”</p><p>“There has to be some reasoning behind it. No one’s told me anything. Just that they were safe and being looked after.”</p><p>“To go and ruin a school dance night as fun as that was, you’d have to stoop down real low.” Kurapika barely fought a snort, even if Leorio was being sincere, “c’mon! We were dressed in our best outfits! We all had such a good time! We were cool! Everything was fine.”</p><p>“As long as the man is in custody, things can resume at school.”</p><p>“You’re still worried about Killua.”</p><p>That was definitely true. Not something he could help. It physically pained him not being able to see him and Leorio was able to tell— maybe because it was hard to hide how he felt.</p><p>He called Killua <em>his </em>child. A revelation that came to him at that very moment as if Killua was meant to be his own responsibility, despite the fact that it was never the case once before. It strongly changed over time.</p><p>“Of course I am.”</p><p>“He’s gonna be okay.”</p><p>Kurapika smiled at Leorio, “thank you. For helping me.”</p><p>“It’d suck to have a birthday recovering from something like this… I know it’s my job to treat you, but it’s also my job to make sure you’re okay. Emotionally.”</p><p>Kurapika’s birthday would’ve been more miserable without company. Leorio lifted his hand and kissed the back of his palm.</p><p>"I should apologize, for the way I acted like a dick before we… talked things out. It was a long week for me. My parents showed up out of the blue and I was dealing with the patient's family—"</p><p>"—Parents?" Kurapika asked. "Since when?"</p><p>"Maybe two weeks ago? Before the dance? I haven't been keeping in touch with them and they got worried. I don't know. But they're about to leave soon, and things are less crazy at work."</p><p>"I should also apologize for being so stubborn." Kurapika said, "I should respect your decision, and if it isn't the right time, I accept that. It wouldn't be right anyway, not when Gon is left out of the loop about it. We should've thought things through."</p><p>"Can you just wait a little longer?" Leorio pleaded, "that's all I ask."</p><p>Kurapika thought about it. He said at first he didn't know, and he still didn't. They both had lives with different responsibilities to uphold, and weren't sure if they involved each other.</p><p>His phone rang before he could come up with a proper response. He frowned, wondering if it was his co-workers filling him in on something he’d missed out— but it was Gotoh.</p><p>Kurapika looked at Leorio, their hands breaking apart as Kurapika answered the phone hesitantly, “Hello?”</p><p>
  <em>“Mr. Kurta?”</em>
</p><p>“Speaking.”</p><p>
  <em>“I regret to inform you that Killua has gone missing.”</em>
</p><p>Pairo and Gon were laughing about something in the living room, unaware of what was going on as they talked loudly. Kurapika went rigid, his breathing trembled and Leorio stood up.</p><p>“Kurapika, what’s wrong?”</p><p>Kurapika’s face paled, clutching his phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. <em>“What do you mean he’s gone missing?”</em></p><p>
  <em>“His siblings went to go check on him in his room and noticed he wasn’t there.”</em>
</p><p>“He’s not in the house?!”</p><p>
  <em>“We’ve checked all over. No sign of him. He must’ve left not too long ago.”</em>
</p><p>“Oh my God.” Kurapika whispered.</p><p>“He’s gone <em>missing?” </em>Leorio asked in shock. Kurapika nodded.</p><p>“We can help look for him.” He told Gotoh. “Just, give us a while before you inform the cops.”</p><p>
  <em>“We must give ourselves two hours at best, and if we are unable to find him, I will have to organize a search party.”</em>
</p><p>“Alright. Give us a call if you find him. But I <em>promise </em>if we find him, we’ll let you know.”</p><p>
  <em>“Please do as soon as possible, Mr. Kurta.”</em>
</p><p>Kurapika hung up the phone, placing it against his chest. “We have to find Killua.” he told Leorio, “we have two hours.”</p><p>“Wait—” Leorio stopped him, “you just got <em>stabbed </em>the other <em>week</em>.”</p><p>Kurapika’s eyes flashed scarlet as he glared fiercely up at Leorio. The doctor bristled instantly, hands flying in the air in surrender.</p><p>“Or we can go find him together.” He laughed nervously.</p><p>“What’s up?” Pairo asked, as he and Gon entered the bedroom.</p><p>“Killua went missing.” Kurapika explained.</p><p>“Whoa, what?!”</p><p>“Killua’s missing?” Gon asked worriedly, “why?”</p><p>“I don’t know, but we must find him as soon as possible because this is very bad.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Did something bad happen?”</p><p>“No,” Leorio crouched down and placed his hands on Gon’s shoulders, “not yet, unless we find him first. And we <em>will. </em>But I need you to tell me if you have <em>any idea </em>where Killua would possibly run off to if he ever ran away from home.”</p><p>“Hmm…” Gon thought long and hard as they all stared at him, holding their breaths in anticipation. “I know one place!”</p><p>“Where?” Leorio and Kurapika asked simultaneously.</p><p>“The playground!” Gon said. They all looked at each other.</p><p>“Alright move out!” Leorio shouted, “grab your things! Don’t forget anything!”</p><p>“Are we going on an adventure?!”</p><p>“Something like that!”</p><p>Kurapika awkwardly wobbled over to the door, looking down at his clothes. He’s very underdressed for this, “I need to change!”</p><p>“Uh, okay!” Leorio dragged Pairo out the door, “put on some pants maybe! Make it quick!”</p><p>Kurapika had been wearing this outfit for four days straight— he wasn’t just <em>only </em>going to put on pants. He swapped his entire outfit for jeans and another fresh, plain black t-shirt and threw a jacket over his shoulders. He pulled on ratty old black converses he rarely ever wore in his closet and made a beeline for the door. Everyone else was waiting for him.</p><p>He grabbed his chain-linked rings from his drawer and put it on his knuckles, cracking them as he flexed his fingers.</p><p>He needed to be prepared.</p><p>“Are we ready to go?” Leorio asked. They nodded. Kurapika grabbed his keys to the apartment.</p><p>“We’re taking my car.” Pairo said, “it’s bigger and it can fit all of us.”</p><p>“Fine with me.” Leorio said, opening the door. They didn’t expect to see Pietro waiting outside with a gift bag in his hand.</p><p>“I heard it was your birthday.” He smiled at Kurapika, “I didn’t want it to go by without getting you something.”</p><p>“Oh, crap,” Leorio hissed as they looked at him, “I told him it was your birthday.”</p><p>Kurapika smacked the gift out of Pietro’s hand.</p><p>“So I take it you’re not a fan of gifts?” Pietro asked jokingly.</p><p>“Killua went missing!” Kurapika exclaimed, shaking his shoulders, “<em>we are in the middle of an emergency.</em>”</p><p>“<em>What?!”</em></p><p>“Are you coming with us or not?!” Pairo asked, and they practically left his gift to sit there depressingly on the floor— a gift box which Kurapika would’ve appreciated if this weren’t the <em>wrong time and place</em>.</p><p>“Okay!” Pietro scrambled to follow them.</p><p>“Close the door!”</p><p>He had to run back and close the door. Gon’s shouting “yay, adventure!” as if they weren’t racing against time to find his missing best friend. Piling into Pairo’s car, he shut the door and started up the car without waiting for them to get settled.</p><p>“Gon, which playground did Killua go to?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“School playground!”</p><p>“Yes, we know that, but where?”</p><p>“Yorknew. The school we go to?”</p><p>“But why would he be there?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“That’s where he lives.”</p><p>“<em>He lives where now</em>?!” The entire car asked, including Pairo, who was very recklessly driving across the block— and it was dark and dangerous out, so he had to honk and swerve past a few cars and ignoring some angered drivers that he was cutting in front of them for driving so excruciatingly slow.</p><p>“The playground!” Gon answered happily, “it’s like his happy place when things get too sad!”</p><p>“Since when?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“Maybe a few months now? But we helped him move a few things in the school so he could live there whenever he wanted to. He’s been doing that most mornings.”</p><p>The backpack.</p><p>“Oh my God. <em>Leorio</em>,” Kurapika turned around where Pietro, Leorio, and Gon were seated, “I think I know what they’ve been up to.”</p><p>“Gon,” Leorio asked him warily, “...you mean all those things you were hiding in your room, in a bag, you weren’t selling to other kids. <em>All this time it was for Killua</em>?”</p><p>“Yeah it was. How can he hang out there without getting bored if he doesn’t have stuff to bring along?”</p><p>“Are we not gonna ask how he got there?” Pietro asked, “don’t they live like an hour away from the school?”</p><p>“Taco.” Kurapika and Leorio answered knowingly.</p><p>“Let’s just hope he’s right on this.” Pairo said, “<em>you’ve gotta be kidding me</em>!” they stopped at traffic placing itself right at the intersection they dove right into. He smacked the horn, “we’re in the middle of a search party here! Can you believe how unbelievable people are?!”</p><p>Kurapika climbed over to where Pairo sat and honked the horn repeatedly.</p><p>“We can’t move,” Leorio said, “we’re at a stoplight!”</p><p><em>“Stay out of this!” </em>Pairo and Kurapika hissed in a way that made Pietro and Leorio bristle in the backseat.</p><p>“C’mon c’mon c’mon….” Kurapika’s gaze drifted from the traffic light to the cars taking their sweet time ahead of them. God, if it were legal, he would’ve veered past them a long time ago and ran a stoplight. “Pairo, switch places with me.” The wait was killing him.</p><p>“Are we there yet?” Gon asked tiredly, “I wanna see Killua!”</p><p>“Be my guest.” Pairo unbuckled his seatbelt and they awkwardly shifted from their seats to switch places. Kurapika didn’t bother to buckle his seatbelt, hands braced on the steering wheel. As soon as the stop light turned green, Kurapika stomped on the accelerator and everyone jerked back, heads reared against the seat behind them.</p><p>“Woohoo!” Gon shot his hands in the air from where he sat between Pietro and Leorio.</p><p>“Turn this way.” Pairo sat there as if this was a regular occurrence and wasn’t intimidated by the <em>sheer speed </em>Kurapika was going at all, this was going to earn them a fucking ticket at this rate. “This road looks empty, we can take the long route for less traffic.”</p><p>Kurapika made a harsh turn, completely running a light. He’s about to make the long route a short route.</p><p>“Maybe you can, I don’t know, <em>slow down?!” </em>Leorio shrieked, holding onto the car seat with his dear life.</p><p>“Killua needs our <em>help </em>and anything could happen to him at this very moment.” Kurapika pressed harder on the pedal, “<em>we must get there as soon as possible.</em>”</p><p>“And there goes that stoplight.” Pietro deadpanned as Kurapika careened past the traffic light that was definitely <em>red</em> at that second. Another car halted to a stop as Kurapika glared ahead, eyes blazing scarlet.</p><p>“Faster!”</p><p>“No! Don’t go faster! Please!” Leorio struggled to put on his seatbelt because with every sharp turn their heads would go flying back, crashing into each other constantly.</p><p>“Almost there!” Pairo said, pointing at the familiar school building in the distance. A little harder to spot because of the dimmed streetlights in the area. Kurapika stopped the car and made a U-Turn, so that they were on the right side of the road and by the sidewalk where the tall gates surrounding the playground started.</p><p>He rammed into a trash bin and didn’t even bother to park the car properly.</p><p>“I don’t see anyone.” Pietro peered out the front window.</p><p>“We need a closer look.” Kurapika left the car.</p><p>“Wait!” Leorio said, “someone needs to watch the car!”</p><p>“I will!” Pairo took over, “Pietro and I can stay here, just go! Now!”</p><p>“I’m coming too!” Gon insisted, “I wanna see my best friend!”</p><p>“Jesus Christ,” Leorio murmured. “Okay, c’mon, kid. Stick by me and Mr. Kurta, alright?”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>Kurapika didn’t wait for either of them, so Leorio and Gon raced to catch up as he already entered the playground. They shouted Killua’s name, checking the empty basketball court, the compound on either ends of the courtyard— and lastly, the jungle gym.</p><p>“Killua!”</p><p>“I’m here! Shut up already!”</p><p>They stopped instantly.</p><p>“Killua!” Gon exclaimed, pointing, “he’s over there! Under the jungle gym!”</p><p>“Oh, thank God.” Kurapika said, as he and Leorio collectively sighed.</p><p>Killua sat there under the jungle gym. He didn't appear in any kind of physical danger. He sat on a blanket and had a couple snacks with him, a few toys, wearing a blue sweater with the hoodie on that matched his jeans and blue and white sneakers.</p><p>"Oh, <em>Killua</em>," <em>this child was going to be the death of him. </em>Kurapika's eyes shifted back to its dull gray color, crouching down and throwing his arms around Killua to tug him into a warm embrace. "Do you have any idea how worried sick you made us?"</p><p>Killua's eyes widened, "M-Mr. Kurta—?"</p><p>"—we were looking all over for you!" Kurapika said, anguished. He parted just so he could touch Killua's face.</p><p>"You brought Gon and the old man?" Killua asked warily.</p><p>"We were already with Mr. Kurta." Gon said, "and then Mr. Gotoh told them that you ran away."</p><p>"You know it's dangerous to be wandering outside on your own," Leorio said, "you really did worry us. Everyone, actually. You would've had the whole city looking for you."</p><p>Luckily, Pairo had Gotoh's number forwarded to him by Kurapika. So he texted Kurapika that he called him already to let them know they didn't need to go through with the search party. They found Killua in under half an hour thanks to Gon.</p><p>"I felt like I was burdening everyone." Killua confessed. "The school dance got ruined because of me."</p><p>"It wasn't your fault." Kurapika insisted. "Someone else is responsible for what happened."</p><p>"But they were after me!"</p><p>"We'll make sure that they won't be."</p><p>"How can you be so sure of that? You don't know how my family is <em>really </em>like!"</p><p>"But I do know you don't deserve to blame yourself for what they put you through." Kurapika countered. Killua's eyes began to water. "You're not burdening anyone. You have friends who care about you, and <em>family</em>, so don't you go thinking running off will ever be doing them a favor. You're only going to burden them even more."</p><p>"You're never alone, Killua." Gon offered a hand, "you have us by your side."</p><p>Kurapika stood up and stepped away so that Killua could take Gon's hand, and help him stand up.</p><p>"We came here because we’re your family, too!” Gon smiled brightly, “...I know I helped you do this in the beginning, but you don’t have to run away anymore.”</p><p>The tears streamed down his cheeks, wrapping his arms around Gon and crying into his chest. Leorio watched silently. Kurapika felt like he could relax, just a little— the first time in the past several hours that passed.</p><p>...That was until a few black cars pulled up outside the playground.</p><p>Gotoh didn’t show up alone at Pairo’s call.</p><p>The one person Kurapika hoped he wouldn’t see was in the swarm, rushing on over, fat tears rolled down her cheeks and it made Kurapika’s blood boil with rage.</p><p>“Oh, my beautiful precious <em>son</em>—” Kurapika didn’t allow her to take another step closer to Killua where he and Gon were holding each other.</p><p>Pairo and Pietro joined the rest of the group. It was five of them against Kikyo and half of the Zoldyck butlers with Gotoh leading them.</p><p>“I didn’t think the rest of them would show.” Pairo said.</p><p>“That’s because they had to inform her they went missing regardless.” Kurapika explained under his breath.</p><p>“What do we do?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I tried to stall, however—” Gotoh bit his lip, averting his gaze, “Mrs. Kikyo insisted that she come.”</p><p>“Killua.” Kikyo approached him, heartbroken, “it’s your mother. Please, what is the meaning of all this?”</p><p>Killua glared fiercely at her. “I don’t wanna come back.” he spat.</p><p>She gasped, “nonsense! You always have a home to come back to! Why must you do something so silly and worry your dear old mother?”</p><p>“Stop acting like you care! You never cared about me! Dad said he'd be there and he just left again and now I have no one! I'm tired of everyone lying to me and my siblings and acting as if they ever cared about us!"</p><p>“Of course I do! I care for all my children equally! Just because we have priorities doesn't mean we love you any less.” Kikyo huffed, her gaze turned to Kurapika, “if it weren’t for <em>your </em>persistent actions my sweet boy wouldn’t have succumbed to your <em>influence</em>.”</p><p>Kurapika’s eyes shifted back to its deadly scarlet color, enough to make the others tense up where they stood. “I did <em>so much </em>just so you can be more present in your own child’s life, and you continue to treat them with such <em>cruelty </em>and you think you deserve to call yourself a <em>mother</em>?” he questioned, venom oozing in his tone. Kikyo’s face morphed with furor at his words, “Killua is my <em>student </em>and I will continue to treat him like he is <em>my </em>child because they need someone in their life who can take care of them better than worthless scum like you ever can.”</p><p>“How dare you?!” Kikyo snapped, and she raised her hand.</p><p>But the impact never came.</p><p>Kurapika had her wrist in a vice grip. The butlers stepped closer, anxious. Kurapika tossed her hand away, and he raised his hand in retaliation.</p><p>Then he smacked her across the face.</p><p>“M-Mrs. Kikyo—” Gotoh approached her, but she jerked away from his touch.</p><p>“Don’t touch me, filthy vermins!” She shrieked, holding her cheek— turning red at the smack. Pietro, Pairo, and Leorio were too shocked to intervene themselves. Kurapika lowered his hand to his side.</p><p>“I tried to be civil and ignore it. I tried to reason with you. But I'm done being reasonable with someone who puts <em>any </em>of my students in danger. And from what I can see, he doesn’t wish to stay with you.” Kurapika said serenely, but his eyes held the fire of a thousand suns, one that could make an army surrender at their feet. “So he will be staying with me.”</p><p>“He is my son!” Kikyo shouted, “<em>you can’t take him from me</em>! Are you insane?!"</p><p>"Trust me, Mrs. Zoldyck. You don't love him," Kurapika's lip turned to a snarl, "<em>and he will never love you."</em></p><p>“I’m sorry, Mrs. Kikyo.” Gotoh placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back gently. “But you must respect my lord’s wishes.”</p><p>“No! Stop him!"</p><p>Three of Kikyo's guards stepped forward to take Killua. But Kurapika wasn't going to allow it. He and Pairo looked at each other. They grabbed the arms of two of the guards and slammed their elbows at the side of their necks, shoving them into the third guard and watching the three of them tumble over and skid across the concrete, everyone gasping as they dropped like fallen dominoes. </p><p>"Holy shit," Leorio whispered.</p><p>"Go! Go! Go! Teacher!" Gon cheered.</p><p>"Kick their butts!" Killua glowered.</p><p>"I'm sorry, but I will not let them take him away." Kurapika told Kikyo, and he looked at Gotoh, "that woman will only put them in danger."</p><p>Gotoh looked strained, as he didn't bother to obey her orders when she asked them again to stop him.</p><p>"What is the matter of all of you?!" Kikyo screamed, furious, "I told you to stop him! Don't let him take my child!"</p><p>More of them kept coming their way, Kurapika and Pairo fought them off effortlessly. They might've had years of experience but it wasn't up to par with grandpa Rekan's vigorous practice of the Kurtan mixed martial arts they've learned as young children and have used on numerous occasions to defend themselves on the behalf of others' safety.</p><p>Leorio might have pummeled one in the face to protect Kurapika's blindside. Kurapika looked at him, surprised.</p><p>"I'm not just gonna sit here and watch you protect us by yourself."</p><p>Killua and Gon charged into the fight, yelling at the top of their lungs. They were small, but they sure packed a punch against these six-foot-tall burly men who weren't expecting to be tackled and bitten, punched, and kicked by children, Killua especially turning against them.</p><p>"For fuck's sake." Pietro shrugged off his jacket and cracked his knuckles, "guess I'll join in on the fun too, huh?" He punched one of the bodyguards, and the playground turned into an all-out battleground while Gotoh continued to keep Kikyo in his restraint.</p><p>Kurapika's end emerged victorious when all of them were knocked on their asses in a heartbeat.</p><p>"Well?" He asked. "It's either you allow him to come with us, or we'll take him."</p><p>"You're all useless!" She scolded them, "I should fire all of you!"</p><p>"We're sorry." Gotoh let go of her. "But it is Killua's decision, and he has already made it. We cannot stop them."</p><p>“Oh, and by the way.” Pairo smiled sweetly, “...with a little help from a co-worker of mine… I know what kinda dirty little secrets you get yourself into with that shady journalist job of yours. The kinda dirty secrets that wouldn’t be a good look on you if word gets out the things you’ve done to poor, innocent people who’ve done nothing wrong. Before you even think about trying to ruin our lives, think about the things you and your little posse did to other people."</p><p>Kikyo’s face paled. "How did you find that out?! Who told you! Was it Illumi?!"</p><p>“A secret. But I’m not sure that’s setting a good example of the perfect parent, is it?” Pairo asked, tapping his chin, “so I’d think twice about who’s really the bad influence, honey."</p><p>“What the Hell did we just get ourselves into?” Pietro whispered to Leorio.</p><p>"Fuck if I know! I just punched a guy in the face!"</p><p>“You’ll pay for this!” Kikyo hissed, “<em>you’ll pay!</em>”</p><p>Gotoh and the other butlers continued to hold her back. “Thank you.” he told them, “but you’d best leave now while we’ll take care of the rest.”</p><p>“Gotoh!” Kikyo tried to resist, but his strong grip kept her captive.</p><p>"Come on." Kurapika said, sending one last glare Kikyo's way. He nodded at Gotoh out of appreciation for accepting Killua's decision. "Let's go home." he told Killua and Gon.</p><p>The two boys cheered as they raced away from the playground. Kurapika and Pairo high-fived each other, then they high-fived Leorio and Pietro.</p><p>"This ain't gonna end well is it?" Leorio asked when they approached where the car was parked in the middle of the block.</p><p>"I don't know," Kurapika said, but Kikyo Zoldyck can bring it the <em>fuck </em>on.</p><p>He's done letting her bullshit stand.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Pietro and Pairo left, leaving just Leorio at Kurapika’s place with Killua and Gon. It’s been another two hours. Gotoh said he’d take care of the rest, but Kurapika didn’t know what that truly meant.</p><p>He watched the boys play with each other and talk, more like Gon was talking to him most of the time. But Killua had a smile on his face, and was a little more relaxed compared to how he was earlier.</p><p>Leorio sat down next to Kurapika on the couch. They were a little roughed up from the playground fight earlier like they were fighting against a bunch of gang members after school. Kurapika with a bleeding lip and Leorio with an even more crooked nose, a bandage plastered to his right cheek.</p><p>"I didn't think things would escalate like that." Kurapika said, "I'm sorry, I know you had this image of me being the perfect little teacher that would never do such a thing. But she aggravated me. So much. And I would do anything for Killua. I couldn't stand for it."</p><p>"That was the sexiest thing I've ever seen." Leorio said, "are you fucking kidding me, Kurapika?"</p><p>Kurapika gawked, blushing madly, "w-what?"</p><p>"From the first time I saw you in action I was so amazed by how you do it! The way you protected the kids when those teenagers were bullying them, the way Pairo described how you beat up the guy who stabbed you. All of it. I loved it. This is the real you I'd like to see. And then Gon and Killua jumped right in! That's the <em>Kurapika </em>I wanna see, brave, fierce, <em>sexy—</em>"</p><p>"—you said that already."</p><p>"I knew there was more to you. I knew it. I just had to see it in person."</p><p>Kurapika cackled, "I'm the<em> worst</em> influential guardian on the planet."</p><p>"Well I never fought anyone since college." Leorio confessed. "Not... not like <em>that.</em>"</p><p>"You didn't have to help me back there."</p><p>"Listen, they were gonna take Killua back to that crazy ass chick! I panicked. I can't just let them do that!"</p><p>“What am I doing, Leorio?” Kurapika asked him apprehensively.</p><p>“The right thing.” Leorio answered without missing a beat.</p><p>“Is it really?”</p><p>“That kid sees you as <em>his </em>parent. Not Kikyo. Not even Silva. Those poor kids don't have any parents. Just people who are there to pamper them because they're being paid to do so and swearing loyalty to people who'd fire them in a heartbeat if they felt like it.” Leorio argued, “and just a shred of appreciation from them doesn’t help the fact that he still <em>needs </em>someone like you in his life."</p><p>“You mentioned that this wasn’t my battle to fight.”</p><p>“That was before I realized.”</p><p>“...Realized what?”</p><p>“How much you love him.” Leorio said, "don't get me wrong, this is all batshit crazy. I don't have any idea what we're gonna do next. But, you did a good thing, Kurapika," His voice was as soothing as his touch. He patted Kurapika's head, petting it gently. Kurapika leaned against the warmness of his palm. He’s been through one scare after the other all night and just because Killua was here didn’t mean he could relax just yet. As much as he wanted to allow himself that much. All of what happened earlier with Kikyo was completely improvised and he was acting on his angered emotions.</p><p>It’s something he should’ve done a long time ago.</p><p>Leorio left the couch briefly, mentioning that he was going to get them a glass of water.</p><p>Killua sat on the couch next to Kurapika. “Happy birthday.” he said. "Gon told me."</p><p>Kurapika smiled, “thank you, Killua.”</p><p>“Sorry I made it suck ‘cause I ran away.”</p><p>“I’m just glad I found you.” Kurapika petted his hair, “besides, I’m not very keen on birthdays. They come and go.”</p><p>“...Am I staying with you?”</p><p>Gon made a beeline straight for the kitchen to talk with Leorio.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Kurapika answered, “...but if you don’t feel safe staying there, then you have every right to be somewhere you feel comfortable.”</p><p>Killua nodded. Kurapika took his hand and squeezed it. “We’re in this together.”</p><p>Killua leaned against his side, a little stiff— but eventually he melted into it. Kurapika wrapped an arm around his shoulder.</p><p>“Need anything else?” Leorio left Pietro’s gift on Kurapika’s table, along with a glass of water. Gon hanging on his back, he was already fast asleep. Kurapika recalled he was more vibrant than ever just several minutes ago.</p><p>“Actually.” Kurapika confessed, “I think we would appreciate a little company.” he realized what he said sounded forward, “<em>I mean</em>— I’d prefer they don’t spend the night alone.”</p><p>“Yeah, sure.” Leorio yawned, “it’s late anyway.”</p><p>“It’s very small here, I know— you already stayed the night once and it must’ve been uncomfortable sleeping on a chair—”</p><p>“—Sunshine, don’t sweat it. We’ll take the couch.” Leorio responded.</p><p>Killua was also sleeping against Kurapika’s side.</p><p>Kurapika lifted Killua up in his arms. “Thank you.” he whispered to Leorio, careful not to wake either of the boys.</p><p>Leorio patted Kurapika’s head with a fond smile on his face. “You’re truly amazing.”</p><p>Kurapika blinked out his daze. He's starting to enjoy these little head pats too much and Leorio knew what he was doing, <em>cheeky bastard</em>. “What?”</p><p>Leorio chuckled, “night, Pika.”</p><p>"Night..." Kurapika flushed, nodding as he turned away to head into his bedroom. The way Killua fitted comfortably in his arms, as if he’d been doing this his whole life. He removed the covers and placed Killua on the bed. Kurapika left to get changed into more comfortable sleepwear, tugging the covers aside and getting in beside Killua.</p><p>His heart soared at the way Killua quickly clung to Kurapika’s form. So effortlessly, like he’d been holding back his need for comfort all night and truly wanted to all along.</p><p>"Thanks for being such a great teacher," Killua whispered quietly, his shoulders trembled. Kurapika's heart ached so bad that he held back a sob at the raw emotion in his words, "I wish we can stay together forever. I don't wanna go back home. I wanna stay with you."</p><p>Kurapika hugged him to his chest. Wet tears dropped on Killua's head as Kurapika stroked through his damp curls, a quiet, shaking breath left his lips. His chest heaved with each inhale and exhale.</p><p>
  <em>I swear I’ll protect you with my life.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio slipped into his shoes, looking down at his watch. He got up from the couch and crept into the bedroom to check on Kurapika and Killua, keeping his footsteps as quiet as possible.</p><p>The way they were snuggled together, sleeping peacefully, eased the worries he felt all together. He knew that Killua would be safe with Kurapika, and that mattered more than anything.</p><p>It honestly scared him, how much they fit together like a family— spending time together like this.</p><p>He realized this was what he was aching to have all along. Someone else that could fit into the missing piece of the picture frame.</p><p>Leorio woke Gon up. He hated to, but he felt like staying here for too long would be intruding. Unfortunately, Gon was passed out like a lightbulb. So Leorio carried him, quietly slipping out of the apartment.</p><p>It was a brief moment; where he thought of the four of them snuggled under one bedsheet with both children tucked beneath their arms. He willed the thought away as he was still jaded on the way out the building, needing to get Gon into a bed as soon as possible, maybe his own.</p><p>He really liked the sound of that.</p><p>A lot.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The cops knocked on Kurapika’s door at six-forty a.m in the morning.</p><p>Honestly, he was fully expecting Kikyo to go on a rampage and have it result in an arrest warrant for <em>assault</em>.</p><p>Kurapika even held out his hands, in his tired daze, Killua standing behind him with fear in his eyes as he was cuffed.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” he turned his head slightly toward Killua, “I’ll handle this.”</p><p>“Bring the kid.” The cops demanded.</p><p>“Whatever you do, don’t say anything, you have the right to remain silent.”</p><p>“Where are they taking you?! Let them go!" He shouted, his voice pitched with rage.</p><p>“Killua!" Kurapika screamed, and Killua halted in his tracks before he could get any closer to the cops pinning him against the wall with his arms tugged behind his back.</p><p>"Just listen to what I say. Okay?" He ordered with a grunt, face turned against the doorway. Killua nodded frantically, tears pooled in his eyes.</p><p>"Will you come back?"</p><p>"Let's go!" The cops shoved Kurapika outside. Kurapika glanced back at Killua one last time.</p><p>He silently promised they'd see each other again after this.</p><p>He just hoped Killua could stay strong enough for him.</p><p>“Get in.”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes.</p><p>That bitch called the cops.</p><p>He didn’t even get to brush his teeth before he got arrested on a random Sunday morning, lovely.</p><p>Now he had to figure out a way to get out of this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio bailed him out of his holding cell approximately three hours later. Or at least Kurapika was sure it was. He was falling asleep. He was escorted out his holding cell unkindly by the fuckhead of a cop that harshly spat his name, the guy seated across from him who's definitely not on his first rodeo mostly talked to himself since Kurapika barely responded to him said goodbye, and that it was nice meeting him.</p><p>"<em>Ker," </em>Kurapika muttered under his breath.</p><p>"What was that?" The cop sneered.</p><p>Kurapika ignored him, noticing Leorio was waiting at the front desk speaking with two cops on desk duty who looked like they wanted to end it all. People were giving him dirty looks because what looked like the richest prick on the block just waltzed into one of local police stations and just about expected another wealthy bastard storming in to ask about someone they had detained currently.</p><p>"Oh, there they are." Leorio smiled at them, "thanks, by the way."</p><p>He didn't look too happy.</p><p>Kurapika looked a hot mess. He was given a pair of baggy sweats and a shirt to change into with his same old converses, hair unwashed, or kempt, but he didn't care about that. He was plotting his Operation: Put Kikyo Zoldyck in Jail plan.</p><p>“Are you fucking kidding me?” Leorio hissed.</p><p>“Don’t tell me you had no idea this was one of the worst possible outcomes.” Kurapika said, "now don't worry. I went to law school briefly. The memories are slightly repressed but I'll force myself to remember eventually. I anticipated this would happen, remember that I did it anyway because I wanted to."</p><p>“This <em>is </em>the worst possible outcome! You slapped a Zoldyck in the face! And you kidnapped their kid!"</p><p>Kurapika arched a brow. "You willingly assisted me in doing so, as he has gone missing. Because she is harming him. Did you want us to kindly give him back?"</p><p>“Of course not! But <em>still</em>—”</p><p>“I don’t fear what that psychotic bitch has planned. She did this to buy time, not because she thought I was capable of being behind bars when we know the truth." Kurapika muttered. "I have a plan of my own. Where's Killua?"</p><p>"Mito took him. There's no other relative that could watch the kid and while you were havin' a sweet time in here he threw a fit to be with you until she offered to keep him in her daycare with the other kids."</p><p>"They'll likely only give a few days."</p><p>Leorio took Kurapika's cuffed hands and tugged him aside where there weren't too many ears listening in. "Are you sure you wanna go through with this? You could risk everything." he whispered, hushed.</p><p>All the prosecuted criminals in Lukso with their personal vendettas had come up with shit far worse than what she’s done, and this was just child’s play.</p><p>“That child doesn’t belong to her.” Kurapika stepped closer to Leorio, he let himself get manhandled by the cops without a choice. "I'm going to need a fucking <em>lawyer</em> because I refuse to allow Kikyo to upper-hand in this. I'm going to take Killua back. It's either you help me or you don't."</p><p>“I bailed you out for a reason.” Leorio said, “<em>Of</em> <em>course </em>I am… but under one condition, you gotta answer to a few things first. They've been questioning everyone, and they wanna talk to you.”</p><p>Kurapika frowned. "What?"</p><p>While the cops had convicted him for <em>attempted assault</em>, they also wanted to speak to him about showing up for a court hearing.</p><p>Apparently, however— there was a major setback.</p><p>Kikyo Zoldyck went off the fucking radar.</p><p>They didn’t know her whereabouts. Silva was reported to be on a business trip, they were notified that he wasn’t informed of her disappearance given he was busy tending to his own matters. Their distant marriage raised enough complications as it was including his consistent absences, but one thing he admitted to was that he took no part of Kikyo's business as she operated independently.</p><p>He had to be informed of what occurred in the past month starting from the attempted murder at the school dance, and he too had no idea who could've done it. He knew no connections other than Kikyo's employees, which proved to be a lead for the police to investigate.</p><p>It turned out <em>a lot </em>was revealed when Kurapika was taken into custody.</p><p>A witness claimed that they knew the identity of the man who tried to stab Killua. Milo Conway.</p><p>Milo used to be a publicist, a man whose family had wronged Kikyo and she released private information that put their lives in jeopardy. This information released to the public had angered him, because it would destroy everything they've built for themselves her pathetic grudge got the best of her— simply because they didn’t return a favor Kikyo had asked of them.</p><p>One Milo wouldn’t admit to because even he was ashamed of it, she hit the destruction button and put his family's secret out there. Milo wanted to exact his revenge as he'd been one of the people to have been working under her sensationalist scheme for several years and he’d been so blinded by rage when his threats fell on deaf ears he thought he’d go for the thing she’d care for most. Her family.</p><p>He's clearly been turning to narcotics and other substances to cope with the stress and it turned him into an unapologetic excuse of a man which showed no remorse and lacked awareness of anything else any longer.</p><p>It was as if he didn’t realize what devastation he would’ve brought upon hundreds of people if he’d gone through with it. But he was prepared for the consequences, he no longer wanted to hide how cruel that woman was any longer and what her actions done to him as a result. As Pairo proudly testified on Kurapika’s behalf of the dirt they brought up on Kikyo, thanks to Shalnark, their drive was more reared toward Kikyo’s questionable field of work and the participants coming forward to reveal things one by one.</p><p>The staff of Yorknew was called in to share everything that they knew. They came to Kurapika's aide to share that the Zoldycks were always a confidential matter due to the prime fact that their influence could destroy the lives of many if they weren't careful enough. At this point, Kikyo's presence was an imminent threat on not only one of their students, but the school, and it was something that they could no longer ignore.</p><p>Of course, Kikyo would have to be present to testify against Kurapika after her child went missing, as Killua being in custody meant finding out about the abuse he'd been withstanding primarily under her supervision. But it turned out the power she had didn't matter when it was the words of many against her, so her only choice was to flee. They were on the move, and Kurapika's charges were eventually released. Silva would have to give up parental custody, following his absence, as a result of Kikyo's choice; and he begrudingly told the police that they needed to find her as soon as possible.</p><p>Kurapika knew that morally, it wasn't right to threaten her and take Killua away when he didn't have the right to. Killua wasn't <em>his </em>child by law. And as he hated to admit it, he was Kikyo's. But their parents didn't set their children as their priority, their older siblings weren't the best fit as guardians when they weren't looked after by their parents either. It was like every man for themselves and the most interaction they got from others was outside their family more than between each other because they were so distant from their relatives. The children only relied on each other for comfort because no one else gave it to them. </p><p>Kurapika <em>still </em>wanted to be the one to look after Killua. And he didn't care if he had to do the time for what he'd done. He didn't regret a fucking second of it. He'd risk everything. He didn't come here with <em>much </em>to begin with.</p><p>And the most depressing thing was their children were stuck in the middle of it all, powerless.</p><p>But he wanted to prove that he was worthy of guardianship.</p><p>So he broke down his plan to Leorio.</p><p>This was an emergency custody situation.</p><p>He was going to need everyone's help, everyone that testified, and made sure they were all on the same page: that they wanted Kikyo Zoldyck brought to justice.</p><p>Leorio and Pietro knew someone from college that was an attorney that could be assigned to Kurapika's case and with new information on Kikyo, he could defend them on Kurapika's behalf that Kikyo and Silva should have their parental rights revoked and given to Kurapika. He was a close friend of Oito. His name was Bill, and from their first introduction and a firm handshake exchanged between them Kurapika was a little more certain he could trust him.</p><p>"I'll be honest with you, Mx. Kurta. This is the type of family you wouldn't wanna go up against." Bill had said, "but I've dealt with these kinds of cases before, and I've gotta hand it to you, not anyone has what it takes to go through with this."</p><p>"What's the worst she can do?" Kurapika asked then, "send me another arrest warrant?"</p><p>Bill and Leorio exchanged looks that said <em>there's definitely no going back from here.</em></p><p>"This could put your own life at danger."</p><p>Kurapika leaned in, "If I have to burn this entire city to the ground until he is in proper custody and risk my life? So be it, Bill. I am not leaving this office."</p><p>Bill sighed. "Well what the Hell are we waiting for, then?"</p><p>Upon going through the case file, they knew that Killua and his siblings needed to be looked after better and as a community they should make an effort for these children to be put under the trusted care of someone who would properly love and support them.</p><p>The process would be a long one that came with many steps over time, but at least Kurapika was a step closer to reuniting with Killua.</p><p>First, Killua needed to tell the police <em>everything</em>, <em>and </em>his siblings.</p><p>Knowing that his mother was longer in town and on the run, Killua didn't hold back. </p><p>He needed immediate care and they were aware that neither parents were fit for that responsibility, especially if the children were under the threat of another possible elaborate attack. They needed stronger surveillance on their well-being. Silva nor Kikyo could provide that surveillance.</p><p>But Kurapika couldn't do it alone. Gotoh and Tsubone, along with the other caretakers who were resident employees at the Zoldyck estate, would look after the other half of the family. They'd still be allowed to see each other whenever they wanted, and if Killua ever wanted to come back for a day or two to see his siblings he could, but they knew how much he preferred to stay with Kurapika. And of course, Kurapika's home was open doors if he chose to come back home.</p><p>Word of the attempted homicide at the school dance spread out when Kurapika's arrest reached across town, and the possibility of a child abuse situation shed light on the family's true nature and their intentions despite their immense influential power and wealth.</p><p><em>Many </em>people wanted to see them fall. In fact, it had reached the local news. </p><p>There was already fear among parents that their children weren't safe enough if their lives were at risk at any moment, some were blaming it on poor security measures and others were devastated to hear that this was a planned attack with the intention of homicide toward a child. Knowing who was behind this, outrage divided the citizens of Yorknew waiting in grueling anticipation now that the culprit had come forward, what would happen of the victims involved, and the accomplice, who caused the entirety of the events that unfolded.</p><p>Kikyo was a coward and Kurapika knew she'd try to ruin his career as a half-assed attempt to save her ass.</p><p>Leorio was there to motivate him before the hearing.</p><p>"What if this messes up?" Kurapika asked, taking a shallow breath, "one wrong thing and it can ruin everything."</p><p>"Hey. You've got this far for a reason." Leorio said, approaching Kurapika, his tone gentle. "It's gonna go <em>great</em>. Fight as hard as you can in there. For Killua."</p><p>"There's thousands of people out there waiting on an answer."</p><p>"And most of those people wanna see her ass brought to justice, but it's up to them to believe your story. And don't worry, Bill's got your back. You should know by now he's on our side and if he doubted this whole thing he wouldn't have bothered to lift a finger in that office." Kurapika honestly couldn't have asked for a better lawyer who understood where he once came from. "You just worry about killin' it in there."</p><p>"Okay," Kurapika nodded, "okay."</p><p>Leorio leaned in until their foreheads touched. The sentiment so <em>natural</em> that Kurapika hadn't questioned it at all, because it instantly tranquilized him.</p><p>"You've got this, Sunshine."</p><p>Kurapika wore his best suit and attended the first hearing with all the confidence he could muster. Bill did his part with finesse, and he sat down next to Kurapika, the look in his eyes that told Kurapika that the floor was his. Make this chance count, because he wouldn't get another.</p><p>Maybe the stars were aligned, but Kikyo's disappearance shifted everything which occurred in that very room and Kurapika explained himself as simply as possible.</p><p>"I'm only his teacher, I'm no blood-relative. I don't hold any ties outside of my profession but I've always connected with other children even when I was younger and I helped my mother teach other children in schools much like here, where kids don't have the kind of privilege you'd see elsewhere. My father disowned me around the time I turned twenty, I know what it's like to want love from a parent you know will never give that to you, and I could only turn to my mother when I needed her. I took on teaching because of all of these troubled children who've went through the struggles I've once gone through. Feeling like they're not good enough. I might have not known them long enough, but Killua <em>needs</em> a parent that loves him with all their heart. Someone they feel like they can open up to and trust, and not be given broken promises and lies. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be there for him. And I shouldn't have ignored the signs when I first noticed it, because it should be <em>my</em> responsibility. As someone he looks up to."</p><p>Showing up once isn't enough. It's showing up <em>every time you need them</em>, because they come <em>first</em>. Family comes first." Kurapika explained. He could give Killua whatever it was that he needed.</p><p>"If I need to sacrifice my job for what I've done to defend someone that I care about, someone who has a bright, <em>amazing</em> future and gifted potential, so be it." As a Kurta, he wore his pride on his sleeve that he'd fight for what's right for Killua and against Kikyo's meaningless allegations.</p><p>They were moved by his speech.</p><p>Guardianship was granted.</p><p>Kurapika had tears in his eyes when he left the courtroom and he saw Killua sprint across the hallway to leap into his arms.</p><p>They found their way back to each other again like Kurapika promised. </p><p>The battle had won for now. Whether this was temporary, they weren't sure.</p><p>All of the Yorknew staff waited outside the courtroom in anticipation, they were also on the phone with the head staff, everyone waiting for the court's final decision. Kurapika had come out of the courtroom with an entire crowd waiting outside screaming and rejoicing all-together as the news spread all around that Kurapika would be released and allowed to take care of Killua. Leorio was there with them, a proud smile on his face. He high-fived Killua and it was the first time Kurapika saw them share a civil smile with one another, Gon and Killua's siblings, and the rest of his friends, as their parents partook in the community bail bond effort, tackled him in a group hug.</p><p>Netero still recognized his skill and what Kurapika meant to children who looked up to him, and even aspired to be like him one day. And he said he wouldn't want to waste that potential elsewhere, so he wanted Kurapika to come back to his job as soon as he was able to.</p><p>They'd be waiting for him.</p><p>Kurapika came home that day with Killua's hand in his.</p><p>He was able to look him in the eye and tell him this was his new home, for now, or forever, it didn't matter.</p><p>Killua was able to stay permanently.</p><p>But.</p><p>Kurapika felt like things were a little too cramped. So he asked Killua to keep everything he had packed up while he did the same with his own things, and the two of them found a two-bedroom apartment nearby that was affordable to adjust to.</p><p>"Alley-oop," Leorio dropped another box in the new apartment. It had been a week or two since spring break ended. Leorio and Kurapika sunk down by the new couch they lifted into the apartment. He figured it'd be <em>bonding exercise </em>if he, Gon, and Pairo, though he invited himself because he did things with Kurapika by default— that they tag along with Killua and Kurapika to help out with moving into the apartment Kurapika decided on. He just recently signed the lease and being on paid leave from his injury that left him out of work, and then the <em>arrest</em>, at least he had some bail money that'd be added to his savings eventually to make up for it.</p><p>So he moved out of his apartment of five years for an upgrade. Pairo was coming in and out of the apartment with boxes.</p><p>"Being lazy is <em>so </em>not hot girl shit." Pairo dropped a box in front of them. "C'mon, move your asses! I can't be the only one doing the work!"</p><p>Even Gon and Killua were moving what little things they could into the house, popsicle sticks in their mouths after Kurapika bought them ice cream.</p><p>"I think a five minute break would be lovely." Kurapika leaned against the couch.</p><p>"Make it thirty." Leorio wheezed. "We just lifted a <em>couch</em>. Do you know how tiring it was to lift that out of IKEA into the truck?"</p><p>"And we still have twenty more boxes to go!" Pairo grabbed their hands and dragged them up to their feet. "Let's <em>go</em>!"</p><p>Kurapika and Leorio groaned.</p><p>"I wanna hear excitement. Be grateful we're helping each other or else it'd take you way longer to get all that stuff in here."</p><p>"You're right." Kurapika said. "Thank you."</p><p>"If you're not outside in five minutes I'll carry you out. Gon!"</p><p>"Coming!" Gon tailed Pairo out the door.</p><p>It's been a <em>long month. </em>Kurapika officially went back to work next week and he'd been living with Killua for two, the big move happened on a sunny weekend where Pietro helped rent a truck so they could start loading all of Kurapika and Killua's things, what little of it, that is, into their new home.</p><p>Between Kurapika's recovery, his release, and taking Killua into custody— Leorio's been rather more present in his life than he was before they had that talk about keeping their relationship the way it had been. Kurapika was swamped with legality forms and preliminary hearings shoved at his doorstep he broke down to Leorio that he wasn't ready for any of this and had no idea what to do. He's only been told his teaching job was back on schedule and had been cleared to report back on regular duty, suddenly remembering that he agreed to be Killua's guardian.</p><p>Ever since Kurapika confessed he was terrified how this whole <em>parenting </em>thing would <em>work </em>he said he'd be there every step of the way and push whatever happened between them aside because they had something more important to worry about.</p><p>Little did Leorio know, each day he brought Gon over to keep them company Kurapika realized that they'd work best when they were together, <em>like </em>a family. Sometimes their friends in the picture were there to witness just how well they fit, and they were so accustomed to how they fit so closely that they wouldn't question it at all.</p><p>"Hey, Killua," Leorio cocked his head out the door, "wanna help me lift some heavier stuff? Show me how strong you can lift those guns?"</p><p>Killua scoffed. "Bet I can lift things faster than you can."</p><p>Leorio grinned. "Wanna bet on that?"</p><p>"Don't break any bones and try to keep up, old man."</p><p>"He's right." Kurapika smiled, "go easy."</p><p>"Arthritis has nothing on my strength, okay?"</p><p>"I wish I could believe you." Kurapika teased. He followed them out the apartment. They didn't finish lifting things in and out of the house until night time, where they celebrated by clinking beer bottles and apple juice boxes together, sitting on the floor of their new apartment and eventually passing out later in the night.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio left the bathroom, then he saw Killua up playing with his yo-yo.</p><p>Kurapika and Gon were fast asleep on the couch.</p><p>“Can’t sleep?”</p><p>“Not really.”</p><p>Leorio sat down next to him. His neck would be sore in the morning from the way they slept on the couch in a tangle of limbs, all the moving knocked them out cold.</p><p>“What’s on your mind?”</p><p>“Did you save Mr. Kurta because you care about them?” Killua asked, almost shyly.</p><p>“I saved them because I care about the both of you.” Leorio said, “and I’m helping them take care of you, because I care about you.”</p><p>“Do you mean it?”</p><p>“From the bottom of my heart.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Killua huffed, “wanted to be sure I was wrong about you.”</p><p>Leorio sighed, “I’m not here to be your enemy,” he said, “I’m here to be your best buddy, your favorite uncle, Hell, even your dad, only if you let me.”</p><p>“Can I still bully you because you’re an old fart?”</p><p>Leorio laughed gently, “whatever floats your boat. Now get some sleep, okay?” he ruffled Killua’s hair, “make things a little easier for Kurapika and Gon by being just a little bit nicer to me.”</p><p>“Fine." Killua looked down at the floor, "Mr. Kurta's always taking care of us, but who's the one that takes care of Mr. Kurta?"</p><p>Leorio's lips pressed together in a thin line. "...I dunno, kid, they're old enough to look after themselves. Aren't they?"</p><p>"But we all need someone else to take care of us too... right?" Killua asked.</p><p>Leorio stalled on an answer, "you're right. We can't always do everything alone." he looked at Killua, "which is why, it's easier when we work together. It makes anything possible when we set our differences aside, look after each other. That's the true meaning of family."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Mhm, you bet." Leorio put out a fist, “so whaddya say, friends?”</p><p>Killua was about to bump Leorio fist before he yanked his hand away, “aha! Gotcha!”</p><p>“Screw you old man.” Killua punched Leorio in the arm.</p><p>“I’m kiddin’. I had to.” Leorio said, and they bumped fists for real this time.</p><p>“Whatever.” Killua mumbled. “I’ll hurt you again if you hurt my teacher. Harder than last time.”</p><p>“Gotcha, buddy.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"What do you think about blue?" Kurapika asked, a paint can sitting next to them staring at bland, white walls of Killua's bedroom.</p><p>"The lame blue or the cool blue?"</p><p>Kurapika lifted the paint can with a smirk, "Let's find out?"</p><p>Killua smirked back.</p><p>They grabbed their paint brushes and got cracking.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika missed sitting down on his floor to catch up on work he missed in the comfort of his own apartment. Leorio dropped by with takeout, because today Zepile was taking the kids out to an arcade. He figured they both needed a day without them involved and a breather from all the moving and schoolwork they had to endure and enjoy a warm sunny day hanging out with friends.</p><p>“Yo,” Leorio dropped the bag on the coffee table and sat down next to Kurapika. "What the fuck are we gonna do about the news reporters?"</p><p>"They're like vermins." Kurapika said airily, "maybe if we ignore them long enough they'll go away, but I doubt it."</p><p>"You're basically the hero of Yorknew City, at this point."</p><p>Kurapika smiled at him, closing his laptop shut. "I wasn't hoping this would get so big."</p><p>"Everyone believed the kid was in serious danger." Leorio said, "they were just too scared to speak up on it. I mean, we all were."</p><p>"They might have the power, but we're bigger in numbers."</p><p>"You think they'll catch her soon?"</p><p>"Kurtans believe that one could never escape karma," Kurapika said, "because it'll come for them, one way or another."</p><p>"You did a pretty good job deliverin' that karma."</p><p>“Thank you.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“How’re you feeling?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Better.” Kurapika said, “since I have to go back to work soon I have to be as prepared as possible. Do you mind if you give Killua and I rides? I-If... that's okay with you. I don't want to make you uncomfortable by overstepping any boundaries I shouldn't."<em> Since there's nothing serious between us anymore.</em></p><p>"Of course." Leorio laughed, "Gon would love that, actually! Besides, with the press breathin' down your neck, I think it'd be better to hitch a ride. More private. I just might beat the shit out of them one of these days because I don't have the patience to have all these flashing cameras blinding me."</p><p>Kurapika laughed, "I'm sure you'd get used to it."</p><p>"I don't know how celebrities do it." Leorio sighed, "...so you've been hard at work, huh?"</p><p>"There's no time to waste. Cheadle approved that I'm cleared to teach, I'll have to explain to my class not only I've been <em>sick</em>, but dealing with legal allegations their parents will definitely hate me or love me for, who knows how I'll do it. But I have to."</p><p>“You did just get stabbed, and <em>arrested</em>. In the span of a week.”</p><p>Kurapika shrugged. “Your point?”</p><p>“Take it easy!” Leorio lifted his laptop out of his hands and put it on the table, “you have all the time in the world to think it over. So, work later. Rest now. How come you didn’t wanna tag along with them?”</p><p>“I don’t want Gon and Killua and their friends to feel like their teacher is intruding on their fun. This is their day to spend. I should give them privacy.”</p><p>“I’m kinda worried what he’d get ‘em into, but Mito’s also there. So I trust things won’t get too crazy.”</p><p>They laughed.</p><p>“How are things going with you?” Kurapika always meant to ask, but he never had the time to. “It’s just that last time I asked, you were going through things. And I heard all about it from Knuckle, but with everything that happened I’m not sure if things are better now.”</p><p>“For a while, it wasn’t.” Leorio confessed, “but that’s how it is. You get over it, and things get better. Until they’re not, and the cycle repeats itself. It’s just how I go about handling it,” he laughed grimly, “it’d probably be about a month now since he passed. His name was Sonny.” he told Kurapika, “he came from… <em>such</em>, a great family. A good kid. The other day his mom came down just to see how I was doing since then. And the thing is, she doesn’t even have to, but she does. Just because she cares. I still think about it, every night. Wondering if I deserved that much, y’know?”</p><p>Kurapika sat up, scooting closer to Leorio. “Leorio if it weren’t for you <em>I would’ve died</em>, and you still believe because of what happened to that child you don’t deserve to be a doctor? You saved my life.”</p><p>“Yeah but it doesn’t help that I can lose someone else at any moment of my <em>life</em>,” Leorio countered, “the truth is, I’m just surviving. I don’t want my son to see me so constantly depressed when he doesn’t deserve to see that but he has to tell me that it’s okay, that Sonny’s mom still sends me thank you cards and visits me at the hospital to give me hugs, bless me with prayers, leave gifts for me, and appreciates that we did whatever we could and it doesn’t feel like it’s<em> enough.</em>” He raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes blinking as he gazed downcast, “everyone kinda expects me to suck it up eventually, take it easy. This is what I signed up for. I have to learn how to deal with it better. But I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished any of this, I don’t even know what I accomplished! I’m a doctor, but at what cost? More lives? Then a little less? The things I do for my parents, the things I do for Gon, for my friends. I should be happy, right? I like <em>to think </em>I’m okay, but I don’t know if things are. I don’t know how I’m doing, Kurapika.”</p><p>“Leorio,” Kurapika whispered when he saw the moisture build up in his eyes, “<em>you are an amazing doctor</em>, and you worked <em>so hard </em>for what you <em>do </em>for other people. And I don’t want you to ignore your feelings for everyone else’s sake, they just want the best for <em>you</em>.”</p><p>The tears rolled down Leorio’s cheeks, exhaling a trembled breath. Kurapika knew how it felt like to keep things in for the sake of others, letting it all build up into one enormous pile that would eventually come tumbling down. It’s because they both had people they didn’t want to let down, sacrificing their happiness for others’ well-being. He took Leorio’s hand and laced their fingers together, squeezing it.</p><p>“It’s <em>okay</em>, to not be okay,” Kurapika assured him, “we aren’t superheroes. Things happen for a reason. And if it doesn’t work out, we’d just have to try harder. Failure doesn’t ruin our futures, it’s the process toward our goals we work so hard for. Including what we do for other people.”</p><p>“I don’t mean to talk about all this and dump it on you after you went through so much,” Leorio sighed, his eyes red and his lips quivered as quiet sobs racked his body, “I just feel like you’re the only person I can turn to.”</p><p>“Like you said, we’re a <em>family.</em>” Kurapika emphasized, “I want to be there for you the way you have been for me, Gon and Killua’s lives, and we will always <em>love and support </em>each other when we need it.”</p><p>“Not romantically, huh?”</p><p>Kurapika laughed, “but does it matter? You helped me get settled in with Killua. Now it’s my turn to repay the favor. I’m glad I asked, because your well-being is important too and you don’t want Gon to start worrying about you again.”</p><p>Leorio snorted through his tears, “sometimes I wonder if I should give it all up.”</p><p>“This is what you always wanted in your heart.” Kurapika said gently, pointing at Leorio’s chest. “Here.” he said, smiling, “so if you even think about giving up, I will strangle you to death. You hear me, Mr. Leorio?”</p><p>Leorio chuckled, “sounds pretty hot.”</p><p>Kurapika rolled his eyes. “I care about you because I love you.” Whether their standpoint of their relationship wasn’t exactly where they saw fit, the sentiment was still there.</p><p>“Love ya too.” Leorio sniffled, leaning back against the couch. Kurapika leaned his head on his shoulder, their joined hands never once separating.</p><p>They were on this wild journey together. Prepared for whatever may be the obstacles far ahead.</p><p>They were a team.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Later that night, Killua slipped in Kurapika’s room to crawl into bed beside him. He wouldn't say it was because of bad dreams, but Kurapika was there to hold him tightly until quiet sobs turned to soft snores with a kiss on the forehead.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio suggested as a family-bonding exercise, they go to <em>build-a-bear</em> at the shopping mall.</p><p>"No buts," he said, "<em>we're all getting bears</em>."</p><p>Kurapika never realized the importance of a stuffed animal collection when he picked out bears for both him and Killua to get stuffed, dressed, and named. The many joys Killua missed being a child showed when he brought home his stuffed bear.</p><p>"Can I keep it?" He asked hesitantly. "I gave away my shark you bought me from the aquarium trip to Nani because I felt bad you bought it for me."</p><p>"It's yours." Kurapika said, "I bought it for you."</p><p>Killua hugged the bear to his chest. "...Thanks."</p><p>Kurapika smiled.</p><p>He knew that Leorio was doing this out of the kindness of his heart, and because he cared about Killua. He didn't have to arrange these outings and <em>family-fun </em>activities under the guise of play-dates while easing Kurapika's anxiety that this could all be a mistake. He moved aside his busy work schedule just for this. And he didn't have to, and it reminded Kurapika that he hadn't stopped falling for him, only falling harder as each day passed but he had to push through that knowing Leorio wasn't ready to take that step again, and Kurapika didn't want to get hurt.</p><p>He's still very much new to this all and had his doubts. He second-guessed everything he did for Killua, from revisiting home cooked meals he learned at home, to buying new clothes, helping with homework, and wondered if this was all worth it. But Leorio refused to let Kurapika doubt himself.</p><p>If he had to fight for Gon, then so could Kurapika. And he had to keep fighting. Hard work paid off, and he had to prove to Leorio that he was capable of being the person that Killua needed.</p><p>Killua had been falling asleep early lately. The one time Kurapika checked up on him he was cuddling his bear close to his chest.</p><p>After their outings were over, Leorio usually wrapped up with Gon and announced that they'd be leaving. The instance of them staying was rare, but the temptation to ask always lingered. Leorio carried a sleeping Gon in his arms as Kurapika saw him out.</p><p>"How's he doin'?" Leorio asked, hushed.</p><p>"He's a lot better, actually." Kurapika answered. "You really helped us a lot, Leorio."</p><p>"I was in the same situation." Leorio said. "Not the whole <em>slap your student's parent in the face bit</em>, I meant more like realizing you're stuck with a kid and you have no <em>clue </em>what happens next. It's the scariest part of parenting. I can't let you go through that alone."</p><p>"And I can't thank you enough." Kurapika acknowledged. "He doesn't even realize how half our community joined together to help with the court hearing just so he and his siblings weren't taken away and in good hands. He comes from such a broken family."</p><p>“It’s best we don’t tell them what’s going on until the time is right, yeah?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>"I never said it would get any easier. It’s the opposite, actually. Raisin’ a kid of your own, whether they’re yours by blood or not." Leorio said, "kids grow up eventually… and things are always changing. But you learn to deal with it, find new ways to improvise, make it more bearable in a way that helps you. If you really love that kid, you gotta show it as <em>much </em>as you can. My dad once told me when it came to raisin' kids, it's hard to fuck 'em up if you just love 'em."</p><p>"But does he want <em>me</em>?"</p><p>"Of course. Everyone has different ways of showing it."</p><p>Kurapika nodded. "I hope so.” he smiled at Leorio, “Get home safe. It’s late."</p><p>"You get some rest." He wrapped Kurapika into a side-hug, careful not to startle Gon as they kissed each other on the cheek.</p><p>
  <em>Don't get carried away. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>This won't be something that could be more. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not like before.</em>
</p><p>Leorio only helped him because he saw them as family.</p><p>He felt his heart threatening to burst out his chest by the look in Leorio's eyes.</p><p>"Take care, love ya."</p><p>"You too."</p><p>Kurapika shut the door with a heavy heart. But the sight of Killua sleeping in his bed made it feel lighter.</p><p>No nightmares that night.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The night before Kurapika would return to work, he was visited by a familiar stranger.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" Kurapika asked, stiffening at their presence.</p><p>"I heard you won the hearing." Illumi said.</p><p>"And not once have I seen you since your little brother nearly lost his life."</p><p>"Who do you think testified when asked about the culprit currently rotting behind bars?"</p><p>Kurapika stayed silent.</p><p>"If it weren't for the fact that I knew what kind of business our mother had been up to I wouldn't have been able to identify who was the culprit <em>was </em>to begin with." Illumi explained, "I had to confront her myself."</p><p>"Why would you consider helping me?" Kurapika asked, "unless there was something you wished to gain out of this, to save your own skin, and let her take the fall."</p><p>"She couldn't deal with the guilt and tried to run." Illumi said. "He attacked Killua because she hurt his family and he thought she would hurt as much as he did by doing the same."</p><p>"I've made up my mind." Kurapika said, "he's staying with me, and if you've come to take him back, you'd have to pry him out of my hands."</p><p>"As if I didn't know our parents' years worth of bullshit would come up eventually." Illumi answered, "I only wanted to know if he was truly with you. Gotoh said he wasn't staying with his siblings."</p><p>Kurapika frowned, "Illumi, are you asking about Killua's well-being?"</p><p>"He could've been dead that night until you stepped in." Illumi acknowledged. "We may mutually dislike each other, but you have family in your custody. Whether you like it or not, I'm allowed to decide if I should trust you well enough to keep an eye on him. My mother is a she-devil in disguise, and who knows how many people she's truly angered. I know my family better than anyone, things we've been through that you can't even begin to imagine that we're left to pick up the pieces and clean up after."</p><p>"Until they find your mother, I don't plan on putting Killua in danger any longer." Kurapika stated. "And I don't need to prove that to anyone else."</p><p>"Good, because I don't normally do such favors for anyone." Illumi turned around and walked away.</p><p>Kurapika didn't think that he deserved any thanks, but their relationship was based purely on bitterness teetering on borderline petty nonsense.</p><p>He <em>helped </em>Kurapika, because he also believed that Killua would be in the better hands of someone else reliable.</p><p>And that might’ve been his strange way of showing it.</p><p>The acknowledgement of trust was there, and so was Kurapika's silent gratitude.</p><p>He didn't know Killua was awake to hear the entire conversation from start to finish.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika got a total of two surprises.</p><p>The first was from his students, a class effort to come early so they could <em>sing a song </em>with the help of Melody for Kurapika about how much they missed him. Made paper flowers with the help of Kite, and it turned out they spent almost an entire month putting each paper flower together to make a single bouquet that welcomed him back from his <em>long sick day </em>they were waiting to give to him the moment they got word he’d be coming back. The commemoration put tears in his eyes and guilt that he’s ever failed these children when they show him neverending support during his hardest times.</p><p>He might’ve seen a spider scurry across the floor and he screamed so loud he scared the rest of the class, and so quickly, they scattered. Gon, Killua, and Pokkle fought over who caught the spider first. Komugi said not to kill it, and Ponzu and Zushi opened the window so they could let the spider out safely.</p><p>“Mr. Kurta?” Canary noticed Kurapika sitting at his desk, laughing so hard that he started to <em>cry</em>, “are you crying?” she asked worriedly.</p><p>Suddenly, their attention turned away from the spider.</p><p>Kurapika was crying, laughing, tears of <em>pure joy. </em></p><p>He loved this job.</p><p>He loved these children.</p><p>And <em>God, </em>did he miss it so much.</p><p>They rushed to Kurapika and formed a circle around him as they hugged him, showing their comfort, lots of “don’t cry, Mr. Kurta!” and “don’t be sad!” and “we love you!” enough to make him sob even more.</p><p>Guess he had a lot of things he’d been holding in he hadn’t let out until now, either.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Kurapika whispered through his tears, “I’m back, and I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to have an amazing month of school left.”</p><p>“Stay with us forever!”</p><p>“I don’t want school to end!”</p><p>“You make school so fun!”</p><p>Kurapika accepted tissues from Abdul and blew his nose, “enough about me. I want to hear all about you guys, tell me what I’ve missed.”</p><p>Closing in on a month left together, Kurapika steadily realized they didn’t have much time left and a lot of it was lost.</p><p>As for the second surprise, his colleagues threw Kurapika a welcome back party that very day he walked into the staff room during his first break in a while, and it’s a full party, where they were awaiting his arrival with high anticipation. They’d fill him in on the newest brewing work-related gossip and treated things as if he was coming back from a long vacation and not the hardest few weeks of his life.</p><p>Things were different now, he brought Killua to school every morning and he got to stay with Kurapika until they closed. Him and Leorio came to a mutual agreement that he could take Killua to Gon’s house, he’d admit, he was a little uptight about letting him out of his sight. But he didn’t want Killua to be deprived of interaction with his friends and family just because they were living together.</p><p>He walked into the lively staff room during the next weekly meeting, Pairo happily welcoming him inside as he sat down in the empty seat.</p><p>“So how was jail?” Pakunoda asked teasingly.</p><p>“I only stayed there for like, three hours.”</p><p>“But that’s pretty damn hardcore, Kurta.” Phinks said, “we heard you demolished a Zoldyck.”</p><p>“Now I wouldn’t necessarily say demolished.”</p><p>“Smacked her across the face.” Pairo told them, “believe me, I was there.”</p><p>“Pairo.”</p><p>“What? They deserve to know what went down!”</p><p>“After finding out what she did, we all know she deserves to get caught.” Machi said, “so don’t trip out about it.”</p><p>“I just hope they find her.” Melody said, “what happened with you, with the children, that was awful. No one deserves to go through that.”</p><p>"I hope that bitch rots in jail." Pairo said, "if it weren't for our good buddy Shal we wouldn't have exposed her ass." They high-fived each other.</p><p>"You guys didn't have to help me with this." Kurapika said, "this was my battle."</p><p>"Nuh uh, sweetie, it's ours." Shalnark winked, "if you work here, you're one of us. No way you're going through this shit alone."</p><p>Kurapika missed them dearly.</p><p>He should thank them for representing themselves as a school by helping Kurapika out with the accusations, assisting Leorio with the bail funding, and testifying against Kikyo Zoldyck so that she was no longer a threat to everyone. They were going to find her eventually, and bring her to justice.</p><p>"Hello!" Bisky walked in with Cheadle, "sorry we're late! Had a few errands to run."</p><p>“As you all know, a member of our team has finally returned to work. Welcome back, Kurapika,” Cheadle smiled, “as planning committee leader, we figured we could use your input to discuss a fundraising event for the school. The recent events we’ve gone through has truly been devastating and I know there are many worried parents who feel like their children aren’t safe enough without their supervision. If there is a way we can give back and show sympathy.”</p><p>Everyone was looking toward Kurapika. Hell, even Chrollo’s bastard face was giving him the floor on this one. They were really waiting on him to pull the reins and it was then he felt the power he held through their trusted leadership that made his stomach churn with anxiety, but he stood from his chair, determined to make things right.</p><p>“The children of this school look up to us for a better future. They are still very young, and we give them things that they can’t look forward to at home because so many of them go through all these kinds of different struggles and don’t know how to speak up about it. It is up to us to recognize these issues better instead of ignoring it so they feel like their voices are being heard. We need to listen to them. There are so many parents out there who mistreat them and deprive them from so much. Many of them aren't even aware of where their own children are at night and anything could happen to them, things that we often see in the media of them being taken, hurt, and worse. Just imagine how terrified they must be? Thinking they've been abandoned, with no one to help them. We should continue to give them what they need and more. Their generation is our future.” Kurapika’s gaze flickered up to everyone, “let’s run.” he said.</p><p>“Run?” Bisky asked.</p><p>“A marathon.” Kurapika stated, “we have the opportunity to raise money as a community effort to give to those children who <em>need our support </em>elsewhere and not just here, step out of our comfort zone, motivate us to support a cause for what it’s worth and fight for our rights, our <em>freedom</em>, so why don’t we run for it?”</p><p>After a bit of contemplation, Kurapika watched as everyone slowly approved of the idea.</p><p>“HELL YEAH LET’S DO IT!” Phinks shot up from his chair, “I’m down with a charity run!”</p><p>Bisky and Cheadle looked at each other, the two of them smiling as the table came to an agreement.</p><p>Kurapika grinned, absolute relief washing over him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ker = donkey in kurdish <s>or kurtan</s> thanks reddit KJSLDLSMAKLDMLSM</p><p>Again, you're welcome.</p><p>Please look after the children!! All the children!! and the issues that they experience whether they speak on it or not. Too much vile hate is out there y'all, spread the love and love each other. Pls.</p><p>Next chapter: and that concludes the mini-adoption arc, onto the fun run for a very important cause. the most important arc of this fic. we're back in business!</p><p>See you next tuesday :)</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. there's no treatment for being madly in love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the Fun Run takes place. Breaking news about Kikyo surfaces, and Leorio gives Kurapika an ultimatum.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i promise things are a little happier. im giving them a break. for good, this time.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The school spent the next few weeks organizing their fun run event. This time, Kurapika went with the anonymous vote that they dropped in the ballot box for their decided theme— which was surprisingly a <em>glow in the dark </em>event.</p><p>As for the upsides, after the whole situation with Kikyo and the Zoldycks— many supporters wanted to aid Yorknew in the event and it earned them a couple more sponsorships than the hospital alone.</p><p>They were also waiting with bated breath for a news update on the current police chase to find Kikyo Zoldyck as she fled the city to go into hiding.</p><p>Kurapika tried to let it go, because he had something else to worry about. Something big they had to plan, but he wasn’t the only one that was itching to find out. Going as far as to turn on the radio in the teacher’s lounge to the news stations and freeze up when they’d mention the situation, only to groan in annoyance when they heard the police were still searching and didn’t find any leads.</p><p>Hearing it was making him more anxious. Especially now that their school earned special, focused attention by the press wanting to come in and question them on the ordeal. Kurapika handled it by telling them that this fundraiser wasn’t just to earn sympathy points, as a handful of people may think— it's for the sole purpose of raising awareness.</p><p>One night Pairo, Pietro, and Leorio came over to help with planning the fun run while Killua slept over at Gon’s house, with the television on in the background. The news anchor mentioned a breaking news update on the case and they never rushed away from the dining table so fast to huddle around the television.</p><p>“Remote, remote!” Pairo shouted. Pietro found the remote and tossed it at him, and he turned the volume up.</p><p>
  <em>“Kikyo Zoldyck, a former journalist working for the Zoldyck Publishing Enterprise responsible for the long-lasting physical and emotional abuse and neglect on her children has been found in the outskirts of Zebran City, planning to migrate up to Padokea until reprimanded.”</em>
</p><p>"They found her." Pietro gaped.</p><p>Pairo gasped, "you can't be serious, after this long?!"</p><p>“Holy fucking shit." Leorio marveled. Hundreds of citizens around town were tuning into the news just about the same time as they had to learn news of the update. Now that Kurapika knew that she’d be taken into custody, forced to admit to her actions, he could finally <em>relax</em>.</p><p>Kurapika stared at the television in shock.</p><p>They did the most ridiculous victory dance, Leorio threw money in the air— making it rain, the four of them commemorating the announcement of her arrest by <em>throwing it down</em> in the living room of Kurapika and Killua’s apartment and the scene would’ve been completed with <em>Fuck That Bitch </em>by Horseshoe G.A.N.G playing in the background.</p><p>Except that didn't happen.</p><p>That's what Kurapika wanted to happen. He silently stared at the television as they backed up and sat down on the couch.</p><p>"It's over." Kurapika murmured.</p><p>"It was about time, right?" Pietro asked, "those Zoldycks are always up to something."</p><p>They went back to planning, however, Kurapika had a hard time simply letting it go the rest of the night.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Hey, so." Leorio came in only wearing a towel because he came to the apartment right after a busy morning shift the next evening. Kurapika was working on a banner in the middle of the living room, so it was a mess of glitter, cut up pieces of scraps, glue, markers and color pencils. He asked to use his shower because he brought a change of clothes with him and Kurapika was so focused he just said yes without thinking too much about it. "We're not shitty people, right?"</p><p>Kurapika capped another marker, looking up at Leorio. Glitter and paint all over his tie dye shirt he often used when he'd be making projects for certain lesson plans. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Well we kinda... <em>celebrated </em>over the fact that Kikyo was put in jail. For. Y'know. Child abuse."</p><p>"It was well-deserved." Kurapika shrugged, a little unsure himself. "...It <em>was</em>, right? I mean we've been itching to find out whether they'd find her or not. For weeks."</p><p>"No, yeah! Totally! Good fucking riddance." </p><p>"We shouldn't feel bad."</p><p>"Yeah. We shouldn't. It was meant to happen." Leorio was about to go back to the bathroom, and then he came back, hand clutching his towel. Kurapika kept his eyes glued to the sparkly text on the banner spelling out <em>YORKNEW FUN RUN</em>. Kite was helping with the other banners with the assistance of the art club students, so Kurapika offered to take an unfinished one home and decorate it himself.</p><p>"Certainly." he said.</p><p>"Did you tell Killua?"</p><p>"Uh," Kurapika most certainly did <em>not, </em>"I haven't... had the time." They spent an entire week mapping the route of the run, gathering all the volunteers, and setting up camp at the schoolyard for when Friday rolled around sending out newsletters and making banners to hang up in front of the school.</p><p>"You didn't?!"</p><p>"No! How am I supposed to tell a child their parent was confirmed to be put away in <em>jail</em>?!"</p><p>"Well he's gonna find out eventually!" Leorio said, frantic, "It's either you tell them or they find out themselves!"</p><p>"I'll figure something out."</p><p>"You've gotta!"</p><p>"I will. Just, don't worry. I can talk to Killua."</p><p>"Good."</p><p>Kurapika looked up as Leorio turned around, "wait, watch out!" Leorio tripped over the marker box Kurapika threw aside haphazardly as he turned the whole floor into his working station for his giant artwork. His towel proceeded to fall off his waist. As Kurapika scrambled to move the marker box away he looked up and was face to face with Leorio's penis.</p><p>"Jesus—"</p><p>"<em>Oh</em>. Um. Oh dear." Kurapika turned around and crawled back to the couch with the box to place on the table, finding a napkin next to the lunch he made for himself earlier to wipe his bloody nose. </p><p>"Fuck, I'm sorry." Leorio picked up his towel, "I should've changed before I asked, God damn it, I'm really sorry. Um. I should change now then. Definitely." Water droplets on bulging muscles that flexed with every movement, suddenly Kurapika was hyperaware Leorio presented himself in nothing but a towel.</p><p>"You should." Kurapika said as calmly as he could, waving a hand. "I should've warned you that it's... very messy in here."</p><p>Leorio nodded and laughed, so did Kurapika. He left the room and Kurapika felt like he could breathe again. He's mainly here because he's supposed to be taking Kurapika to Mito's daycare to pick up the boys, and come home after nine, but he had an extra hour to spare.</p><p>
  <em>Take it easy, Kurapika. You've seen his dick already. In very not platonic situations.</em>
</p><p>Except, this was different. Because it was.</p><p>The ride to Mito's daycare was ten times more stiff than usual after that that Leorio couldn't even look Kurapika in the eye when Mito came out the house with Gon and Killua.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:23 P.M]: </strong>so that's what happened.</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:23 P.M]: </strong>say anything irrational and you will be Blocked.</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:23 P.M]: </strong>ok like i get u guys broke up or w/e but bitch did u really have to throw away the ONLY vibrator he got 4 u, after u threw away ur old one by accident? sis i thought we were thinkin smart 😔</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:24 P.M]: </strong>I DON'T NEED IT. [<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DPzg8kdWsAA9rOV.jpg"><strong>img</strong></a>]</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:24 P.M]: </strong>[<strong><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EgT9qdTXkAADCMX.jpg">img</a></strong>]</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:24 P.M]: </strong>YES YOU DO BITCH</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:24 P.M]: </strong>you saw his dick sjknLNDNSJKSNDKSNJKNA mf was that comfortable to walk around u in a towel like what does that tell u. how r u not having a horny crisis right now</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:25 P.M]: </strong>this what u look like</p><p>  </p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:26 P.M]: </strong>it was a mistake. we're not speaking of it.</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:27 P.M]: </strong>u used to tell me that and then the next day you'd be blowin up my phone like "omgggg bestie the dick was so good 🥺🥺🥺🥺" but then you'd be like "ugh i told him that we shouldnt 😭😭😭 what about his kid what about my job" and then let him go down on u a minute later MAKE UP UR MIND</p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:28 P.M]: </strong>axkkfgj;alk silence you fucking whore it is different this time we agreed that having sex while staying as friends will make things awkward. we're NOT having sex anymore. get help.</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:28 P.M]: </strong>u know damn well u wanna choke on that nine-inch delight breakfast lunch dinner stop playingggg 😭</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:28 P.M]: </strong>hump me 🥵🥵🥵 💦💦💦 fuck me 🥵🥵🥵 daddy better make me choke 🍆🍆🍆 (YOU BETTER) 🔥🔥🔥❤️🔥</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:28 P.M]: </strong>hot SEXY surgeon dilf in ur area!!! fuck him now!! CLICK HERE!!! 🔥🔥⚕️👨⚕️</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:28 P.M]: </strong>when u get a serotonin boost from a good dicking [<strong><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESNx6LqXUAEt7_S.jpg">helth.jpg]</a></strong></p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:29 P.M]: </strong>ok lemme stop playin</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:29 P.M]: </strong>pika</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:29 P.M]: </strong>BICH</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:29 P.M]: </strong>[<strong><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a3/ca/db/a3cadbcf97f11e0fdaffe1cbeda72463.jpg">hibich.jpg</a></strong>]</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:29 P.M]: </strong>WHERE ARE U</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:29 P.M]: </strong>pikapikapikapikapika</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:30 P.M]: </strong>MX. KOORAHPIKA KURTA</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:30 P.M]: </strong>baştirîn hevaş</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:30 P.M]: </strong>fuck it. vanilla extract on the wall.</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:30 P.M]: </strong>THAT ALWAYS MAKES U LAUGH WHAT IS WRONG WITH U</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:32 P.M]: </strong>bestie unblock me.</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:32 P.M]: </strong>PLS</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:32 P.M]: </strong>U KNOW IM RIGHT THATS WHY U BLOCK ME &lt;333 </p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [11:32 P.M]: </strong>pika ily pls respond &lt;333 txt me bck &lt;333 </p><p><strong>Kurapika [11:56 P.M]: </strong>die.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It would’ve been best if Killua didn’t find out this information. But it was inevitable. The next day, Kurapika tried his best to keep away any critical information on the arrest until he was ready to tell Killua himself. But an older student had asked about the arrest in means of trying to tease him about it, of course, Gon and their friends shouted at them to back off as Killua stood there, rigid. The fight was broken up before anyone could cause any harm and Kurapika was immediately notified of the situation, dropping Killua home in silence as soon as he got himself a car of his own (Leorio wanted to offer it but Kurapika said another one of his gifts would be in bad taste considering how that turned out. So he had to make the investment on his own accord.) he tossed his keys on the table and said he'd make them some tea, coming back to sit down with two mugs and a plate full of crackers on the table for Killua to take out of.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Kurapika asked. </p><p>"Were you planning on telling me?" Killua asked hesitantly.</p><p>Kurapika drank from his mug, guilty. </p><p>"I'm sorry." Kurapika whispered quietly.</p><p>“I don’t get it.” Killua murmured.</p><p>“Get what?” </p><p>“...That I miss her, for some reason.” He answered. Kurapika felt a little guilty, well, for one, celebrating for the fact that she was put behind bars, and it was a good thing. She had to be. The woman tried to get him arrested and berated him for corrupting her son, so he should be convincing Killua that her being put in prison was for the best. He shouldn’t feel bad for feeling instant relief that the case wouldn’t go cold turkey and she’d just run away without suffering any consequences. If that was the case, he would’ve searched the ends of the Earth to find her and bring her himself. But he had confidence that she wouldn’t have thought this far through if she knew she was going to get caught.</p><p>But he hadn't thought about how it would make Killua feel.</p><p>Killua’s eyes sparkled with tears, “I know those guys were just saying that stuff to be jerks about my mom. But it made me feel sad, that she didn’t think about me or my siblings.” he looked at Kurapika, “she just left us. At least dad bothered to stay at least once or twice… but she didn’t come back. Did she want to come back?”</p><p>The Zoldyck children went from being the most feared to the most pitied under several months.</p><p>Kurapika was in that situation once. Both Kurapika and Pairo.</p><p>He set down the mug, squeezing it so tightly that his knuckles turned white.</p><p>And because of his father, there were times he wished he wasn't even born as a Kurta. Alternatively, lived a different life while he held the same family name. A life more like his friend's, so he wouldn't have to deal with any regret.</p><p>Kurapika had a feeling Killua knew the answer to that. But he didn’t want to give a brutally honest answer, because he was still mourning over the fact that she wasn’t who he thought she’d be— the perfect parent. She was far from it. His entire family was.</p><p><em>She's evil. She deserved to rot behind bars. </em>He wanted to say, <em>she hurt, hurt, and hurt you, time and time again. </em>It's the <em>audacity </em>she had to leave her mess behind, something that almost got him <em>killed</em>, and she didn't even bother to show any remorse.</p><p>The mug shattered in Kurapika's hand.</p><p>"Baba?!" Killua gasped, seeing the glass had pierced through Kurapika's hand. He'd been channeling all the emotions he felt about everything, why he understood so much about where Killua was coming from. He hadn't even felt the blood seeping into the clear liquid of the tea. He quickly ran to the kitchen and came back with a first aid kit, and a towel.</p><p>He took Kurapika's hand and wrapped the towel around it to stop the bleeding. Kurapika's scarlet eyes faded into gray, snapping out of his daze.</p><p>"I'm— I'm sorry sweetie—" </p><p>"—it's okay," Killua removed the towel. He didn't know the right precautions in treating cuts like these but he was trying his best, wrapping a bandage around Kurapika's wrist. "You hurt yourself protecting me, baba..."</p><p>"I wanted to." Kurapika felt Killua's hand squeeze his gently.</p><p>"But why?"</p><p>“I too came from a powerful family. A family like that can have everything in the world, always most fortunate and better off. But sometimes, they end up choosing power over love." Kurapika explained, "that kind of power is dangerous, and can be used to control others once it takes over. Which is why it's good to find your own path, and not get caught up in it."</p><p>
  <em>How do you expect to be worthy enough to carry the Kurta bloodline?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You turned your back on your own people.</em>
</p><p>And then he remembered Leorio's kind words, that he could do whatever the Hell he wanted. When his mother said that he could come back home anytime, and it'd be open doors. When his grandfather said he was proud of him. When he faced his father and told him that he was finally happy doing what he wanted in life so he wouldn't have to be so miserable he'd kill himself following in his footsteps, and if he couldn't accept that, then he was okay with not being the child he wanted. Since then, his father still struggled to properly acknowledge him.</p><p>"Can you have both power and love?" Killua asked, once Kurapika's hand was bandaged up and wrapped in Killua's own in his lap.</p><p>"There has to be a point where you must choose, or there might be consequences." He explained slowly.</p><p>"...is that why you're here? Did you make good and bad choices?"</p><p>"To my father, it wasn't. But my mom, and Pairo supported me. Like your siblings. Alluka, Nanika, and Kalluto. So that's how I knew that no matter what choice I make, the people who choose love will support me." He even bothered to leave a few gifts every now and then, but he'd ask Hisoka to send them because it'd be stepping over his pride to visit Kurapika again in person and he'd rather throw up in his own mouth to admit that he cared the slightest about his little brother.</p><p>"She might not be with you, but they found her. And she’s going to go away for doing something very bad.” Kurapika said, “...this is so she can’t hurt you guys anymore. She can't use her power to control anyone. But it's too late for her to love.” Kurapika eventually had to take him to another doctor to assess the aftermath of the abuse. It took a while to convince Killua to go to one, as he was a friend of Leorio's, it gave him more reason to trust going to him. They notice the bruises when he ran Killua’s baths for him and treated them so that they could heal thanks to the doctor's advice, and Leorio had come a few times to look at them himself, how each one described that her treatment wasn’t done out of love. But punishment. He’s still too young to understand that it’d be bad if she was back and he went back to her.</p><p>“I know,” the tears fell from his eyes, “but I miss her anyway. And it hurts. I don’t want to. But I don’t have a mom anymore.” Killua whispered, “...why didn’t she love me like you do?”</p><p>“Oh honey…” Kurapika cupped his cheek.</p><p>“You call me that stuff, and it feels nice when you do.” Killua touched Kurapika’s hand on his cheek, “but when she does it, it feels like she’s just trying to make me think that she really cares for me.”</p><p>“I know that I can’t be her,” not by matching her actions of cruelty, but the idea that she was the one who birthed Killua and therefore he held some sort of attachment to her that was hard to let go of when his illusions of her purity was overcome by her misguided judgement, it’d take a bit of time for Killua to adjust to that being given to him by someone else who wasn’t there for him throughout his whole life and only part of it, “but I can give you what she couldn’t.”</p><p>And he meant it with his whole heart.</p><p>“Promise me you’ll stay?” Killua asked when he slipped into bed with Kurapika that night, after dinner. He lifted a pinky finger, “Gon and I do this when we wanna make a promise. I know it sounds stupid. But a promise means you can’t break it. No matter what happens.”</p><p>Killua trusted him, but things happen that got in the way of sworn oaths and Kurapika knew that. He lifted a finger.</p><p>“Promise.” he smiled. They locked their pinky fingers together and their thumbs touched. Killua leaned forward to kiss Kurapika on the cheek.</p><p>“There.” he muttered, a blush on his cheeks. “Now you can’t break it. Ever.”</p><p>Kurapika snorted. “Let’s rest, okay?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio finished stitching up the wound on Kurapika's hand.</p><p>Kurapika didn't say anything, averting his gaze. Ashamed. They sat down on his couch, at his home, when Kurapika knocked on his door later that night presenting the bloody bandage wrapped around his wrist that was bound to get infected without proper treatment.</p><p>He told Leorio how it wound up like that, the broken cup, the blood, how Killua reacted to the news.</p><p>No <em>I told you so</em>, or <em>you should've told him sooner</em>. Just comforting silence. Kurapika winced a little when Leorio dabbed the antiseptic wipe on his skin, the sting making one eye fold shut.</p><p>"We okay?"</p><p>Kurapika nodded.</p><p>"Y'know what I tell my patients when they hurt themselves, hm?" Leorio got the needle and thread ready, inserting it up his palm, he had no anesthetic on him at the moment, "gonna make it all nice and clean, only if you count with me. They don't call me Dr. Knight for no reason."</p><p>Kurapika stared at him through thick lashes.</p><p>"Count with me. One... two... three..." Leorio began, his voice low like a soothing hum. Kurapika counted along with him as he stitched the wound, he thoughtfully reminded him that he could look away if he wanted to, but Kurapika was fine with it. </p><p>"Four, five..." Kurapika couldn't help it as Leorio tightly pulled the thread and a pained whimper left his lips. Leorio looked up at him, handing Kurapika a small bandage wrap.</p><p>"Bite down on this for me, Sunshine." He opened his mouth and Leorio placed it inside, "mhm, there we go. You ready?"</p><p>Kurapika held onto the table with his free hand, nodding. </p><p>"Six... seven..." Leorio resumed counting, for Kurapika, because he bit down on the cotton as Leorio stitched the wound closed. Pulling the thread through his skin, in and out, focused precision; his hands were like magic, his tone gentle the entire time he counted. "You're doing great for me, Sunshine. You take this like a champ. Alright, let's get this bad boy all cleaned up." He wiped down the dried blood, gloved hands cradling his wrist with so much care like if he moved the slightest too rough he'd break it.</p><p>Kurapika watched him wondrously. This man had been doing this his whole life. He wanted to trust fall into him and never let go, with everything. He replaced the bandage job Killua did with a fresh new one.</p><p>"Awesome." Leorio pulled off his gloves and lifted a hand. Kurapika high-fived it with his left hand. "We did it." He reached into his duffel bag he usually took with him to work and handed Kurapika a red lollipop, "for being such a good patient."</p><p>Kurapika accepted it. "Thank you."</p><p>"Mhm."</p><p>"They called me <em>baba</em>." Kurapika whispered.</p><p>The table was filled with all the medical equipment from his first aid kit. Gon was fast asleep, so Leorio was quiet when he put all the stuff away one by one. He sat down on a chair across from where Kurapika sat, hands clasped in front of him.</p><p>He saw the distraught look on Kurapika's face. Kurapika liked it when he had his glasses off. He could see the pinched look in his brown eyes, brows furrowed with concern and his attentive gaze, so intense it made Kurapika shiver, just wanting to break down like he did the first night he showed up at Leorio's house, because he's the only one Kurapika wanted to turn to, too. Break down right into Leorio's loving arms.</p><p>He sat up and sat down next to Kurapika. They looked at each other.</p><p>"I understand how this can be too much," and he always, always knew the right words to say, "and it makes you wanna give it all up. But that's part of the process. Adjusting."</p><p>"I don't know if I'm good at this as you are."</p><p>"You will be. You're making progress."</p><p>Kurapika clutched the lollipop in his hands. Leorio scooted closer, lifting Kurapika's chin to look at him. "Hey," he whispered so quietly Kurapika almost missed it. "It's gonna be okay, Sunshine."</p><p>Kurapika blinked and a few stray tears fell. He nodded.</p><p>Leorio leaned in closer, about to kiss him. Kurapika, dazed, parted his lips and leaned in until something clicked in his brain that snapped him out of it.</p><p>
  <em>You can't go through this again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He'll only break your heart.</em>
</p><p>He gasped, turning away. </p><p>"Kurapika," His voice was roughened, ardent, "how long are we gonna keep doing this?"</p><p>"We can't." Kurapika choked out, "not again."</p><p>"Then wait for me." Leorio urged. "I can work things out, and we can try again."</p><p>Kurapika stared at him, scarlet eyes blown wide. If he acted on his heart, his lust, and past his confliction, he'd ask Leorio to take him then and there on this very couch and forget everything else. But he knew better not to go down that rabbit hole again. As much as his body yearned for his touch, thinking of how much he missed it many nights repeatedly.</p><p>"I-I must go," he whispered, standing up. "Thank you."</p><p>"Kurapika."</p><p>"Goodnight, doctor." Kurapika tore himself away from Leorio, walking to his front door without turning back.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Kurapika [2:00 A.M]: </strong>pairo iw ant himso bad helppeme </p><p><strong>Kurapika [2:00 A.M]: </strong>he still wants to know if ill wait until he's ready 4 a relationship and like. i never responded. im hoping he'll forgetK JKSDBN FJK wgat tege fuck do i do</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [2:00 A.M]: </strong>pika its TWO AM YOU ARE DOWN BAD</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [2:01 A.M]: </strong>r u having one of ur Menthall Breakdowns™️</p><p><strong>Kurapika [2:04 A.M]:</strong> yes. we almost kissed. and then i got scared, and said no. because i CANNOT do the fuckbuddies situation all over again.</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [2:04 A.M]: </strong>a tragedy luv lit rally a tragedy</p><p><strong>evil little whore 💘 [2:04 A.M]: </strong>omw with ice cream, get netflix ready</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika opened the door, surprised not to see Hisoka this time with his flirtatious remarks and Illumi.</p><p>"He really likes solving these dumb little things." Illumi handed him another box, "rubix cubes."</p><p>Kurapika stared at him, not accepting it, "you sure know what kinds of things your siblings like, considering you're barely ever around to have such knowledge."</p><p>"I have the money to buy them the things they beg me for since their butlers aren't allowed to buy them anything." Illumi proclaimed, haughty, "now, their mother used to... but now that she's in <em>jail</em>, I'd have to tell you these things, supposedly."</p><p>"I'm not changing my mind." Kurapika shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks, his gray eyes bordered on turning scarlet out of protection for Killua. "You don't have to keep doing this in hopes that I'd just give up."</p><p>"I know you won't. You're more stubborn than that." Illumi tried again, "if we're going to go along with this, we should set our differences aside."</p><p>"Illu?" Killua stepped out of his room. </p><p>"Long time no see, Kil." Illumi replied.</p><p>It was still early.</p><p>"Your brother came to talk." Kurapika told him, his gaze planted firmly on Illumi. He took the box from him, "and gave us a gift."</p><p>Killua approached him casually. "Another one?"</p><p>Kurapika looked at him. </p><p>"Those gift baskets weren't from Leorio, obviously." Killua answered, "I know he's the only person who knows the things I like and he's been sending them to me." He didn't tell Killua because he wasn't sure how he'd feel finding out that Illumi was aware of how the custody battle turned out.</p><p>"Did you know mom's in jail?"</p><p>"I saw the news."</p><p>"So why are you here?" Killua asked, "Kurapika's taking care of me now."</p><p>"She wouldn't have been in jail if you didn't run away." Illumi said, "now that our story's out there, you'd need to be more careful and not do stupid things like that again. It's not a good look for the rest of us."</p><p>"That's not our problem." Kurapika responded, "your mother knew what she did and she's owning up to her actions."</p><p>"It'll be your problem just as much as ours." Illumi countered. Kurapika stayed silent. "Good luck with him. He's not an easy one." </p><p>Kurapika and Killua watched him leave.</p><p>"You did a good thing to speak up about everything." Kurapika said, "regardless of what you've done."</p><p>"I did it on purpose." Killua confessed. </p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I needed an excuse not to live there anymore." He added, "he thinks I'll regret it. But I don't want to anymore. I have friends and a better family now."</p><p>Kurapika closed the door, wrapping a hand over his shoulder and pulling him close.</p><p>"They won't take you back."</p><p>"...Does that mean we'll stay together? And you won't tell Illumi I can't stay with you anymore?"</p><p>Kurapika cupped his cheeks. "We're <em>both </em>staying, okay?"</p><p>Killua nodded, understanding.</p><p>He didn't have to prove to anyone he had what it took to have Killua under his care.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gon sat next to Killua in the jungle gym.</p><p>“We’re about to play tag,” he said, “wanna play with us?”</p><p>“You guys can play.” Killua mumbled.</p><p>“If you won’t play, then I won’t play then.”</p><p>“...Do you think my mom deserved it?”</p><p>Gon blinked, “deserved what?”</p><p>“Go to jail. Where people who do really bad things go.” They watched the kids run around the courtyard, screaming at the top of their lungs without a care in the world. Killua wished he could be as carefree as they were. But he’d always be the one that was different than all the other kids, and he couldn’t help that fact.</p><p>“Are you happy? Living with Mr. Kurta?” Gon asked.</p><p>“I am…” Killua replied. Sometimes, he missed his siblings. Then he’d see them at school, and they’d talk to him like normal, because they understood how he felt and respected his choice to live with Kurapika. “But I feel like I shouldn’t be. Is that weird?”</p><p>“Hmm… no,” Gon said, “If you like living with them, it’s not weird at all.”</p><p>“I know.” Killua answered, “I mean, is it weird, that I wish things could’ve been like. Different. If things were more like… you and your dad…” he said, quieter. “If I could’ve had that.”</p><p>“I miss my mom sometimes, and I never even met her.” Gon said, “I think it’s weird too. If things would’ve been different if she were still here, and I got to meet her. But I really like things with my dad now. If he didn’t want to take care of me and I ended up living somewhere else, I’d probably be really confused if I like it or not.” he reasoned, “I feel like I’m the reason that dad doesn’t let himself be happy. I want my dad to be happy.”</p><p>Killua stayed silent, watching the way Gon swung his legs over the platform they sat on by the slide while the jungle gym thumped with kids running all around it.</p><p>“I want Mr. Kurta to be happy.” He confessed, “the only reason why your dad and them are talking again is because of us. Right? Because…”</p><p>“Because we like each other?”</p><p>“Y-Yeah…”</p><p>“I figured so.” So Gon was extremely aware of this after all. He knew that this was probably a lot for Kurapika to deal with, and if he wanted to, he could tell Killua to move with his siblings. Until they figured something out, but he didn’t do that. He said they’ll figure things out together.</p><p>His mother won’t hurt him anymore, she’ll be gone, and his father was giving him full permission to stay with Kurapika.</p><p>Part of him kept wishing that they fought just a little harder. The way Kurapika had, for him. Then maybe he would’ve had nightmares that haunted him every night and doubts that any of this was worth it, if he was just going to be tossed aside and have that be the end of it. Was he really not that important?</p><p>“Do you think things would change? With Mr. Kurta and my dad?”</p><p>Normally, Killua would be against it.</p><p>But he and Leorio were “buddies,” now. Besides, Kurapika wouldn’t want them to be on bad terms anymore, because he helped them get back on their feet.</p><p>“I hope so.” Killua said. “Because they like each other. I think Mr. Kurta needs someone to take care of them like he does.”</p><p>Gon smiled, scooting over until their shoulders touched. “I think my dad needs someone who can make him happy like they do. Like how you make me happy!”</p><p>“I-I make you happy?” Killua spluttered, cheeks reddened with embarrassment. “Don’t be stupid…”</p><p>“Always! You’re my bestest friend in the whole world, that’s why! You made this year really great.”</p><p>“Do you mean it?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>Killua smiled, “Thanks, Gon.” he nudged him in the arm affectionately.</p><p>“For what?” Gon blinked owlishly.</p><p>“Staying with me. Even though my family’s not like yours, and stuff. I always thought I would end up being a bad friend. So I never made any until I met you.”</p><p>“You’re a great friend.” Gon replied, “who cares what Xane said? He’s mean. I hope now we can spend the rest of the school year together, and forever. If anyone else says anything, I’ll protect you.”</p><p>“Gon…”</p><p>“So come play tag with us! You can even be it!” He jumped off the platform, spreading his arms. He smacked Killua’s knee, a Hello Kitty bandaid Kurapika put on a bruise he had a day prior on it. “You’re it, hehe.” he grinned.</p><p>Killua couldn’t have asked for a better friend in the whole wide world to stay by his side. He smirked, running to the slide and sliding down. “Better run!” he shouted, and Gon ran away from him, quickly informing the others that their tag game had commenced.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kurapika woke up in the morning to see that Killua wasn’t in bed next to him and he left his bed, calling his name. A sigh of relief escaped him when he saw Killua grumbling to himself as he stood on a stool trying to shove pop tarts into the toaster, but it wouldn’t go down.</p><p>"Your stupid toaster doesn't work." Killua said. "It keeps pushing up the pop tarts!"</p><p>Kurapika smiled, sighing to himself. "You know I cook us breakfast every morning baby."</p><p>"I know. So I wanted to make us pop tarts. So you don't have to cook breakfast." Killua replied with a pout.</p><p>"If you keep toying with it like that you'll break it."</p><p>"Now I see why people throw toasters in the bath."</p><p>"...Who told you that?"</p><p>"I heard people drop toasters in their bathtub. Probably because they're so useless. Maybe I should do that."</p><p>"Okay, no. We don't drop toasters in bathtubs. That's very dangerous." The things he overheard Killua tell the other kids scaring them shitless concerned him and he wouldn't surprised if Illumi was telling him such crazy things. They were thrown in the bathtub for a much lethal purpose, but he wasn't going to tell Killua that.</p><p>Kurapika walked up to the toaster, gently guiding Killua's hands away. He pushed the pop tarts inside and they stuck themselves firmly in the toaster. "There." he whispered. "I know this toaster's a little old, but we don't have a lot of money. Most of it was spent on moving in here. We'd just have to make do until we get a new one, okay?"</p><p>"...I'm sorry you had to spend so much money on me."</p><p>"It's okay." Kurapika said, "I want to. For us." The pop tarts popped out of the toaster and Kurapika took them both out, handing Killua one. He took a bite, guiding him down from the stool and to the dining table. "I'll make you lunch to take with you to school instead, and you can have the pop tart now for breakfast. Get your school bag and get ready."</p><p>Killua smiled a little. He dashed off. Kurapika grabbing a bag of bread from on top of the fridge and getting started on a simple ham and cheese sandwich, Killua's favorite.</p><p>He had to remind himself too that Killua wouldn’t run away from him. At least, not like what he did last time. He’d often mistake Killua shouting his name for a cry for help and it would only be because some skateboarding show he’s hooked on was on TV and wanted Kurapika to watch it with him. The way he begged Kurapika for a skateboard the same way he begged for a video game console so he could be like Tony Hawk, or whatever.</p><p>Having a child in his home now meant he couldn’t have things that only catered to one person, but two now, so he had to stock up on things he asked Killua about that he said he liked. His favorite video games, his favorite food, clothes, toys, shows, things that he’s picked up on the course of having him as his student but in more depth because he’d be living close by his side. This meant taking a trip to a skate shop and investing in the perfect skateboard for him, of course, this was something he had to confide in Leorio for help. He got Gon a scooter because he wasn’t too sure if he had the same skill-level, a helmet included in case there were any injuries but he didn’t want him to feel left out because Killua was the only one getting a skateboard.</p><p>They kept asking if they could bring it along with them on the fun run even though those things shouldn’t be <em>allowed</em>, but it was the participation and the teamwork that counted.</p><p>"It's that time now," Leorio said, wanting to ease his nerves. They took the boys to the park to get a feel of their new skating equipment and mingle with other kids they knew going to the park that weekend, "kids ride around with that stuff all the time."</p><p>"I'm still a little on edge. I just don't want to deal with more people getting hurt. I can only take so much."</p><p>"How's your wrist?" Leorio asked. Kurapika was able to remove his bandaid now, but it left a scar.</p><p>"Better."</p><p>"You don't wanna put too much pressure on it. There's a chance those stitches can reopen."</p><p>"I know, doctor." Kurapika smiled teasingly. They didn't speak of what that night had almost led to, instead, Leorio watching the youth overtake the large park with their joyous laughter and vibrant chatter.</p><p>"Y'know, me and Pete used to skateboard too." Leorio said, watching Killua glide across a ramp and the kids exclaimed with awe as he landed on the ground flawlessly. He didn't even need a helmet like Gon did, but he attempted the same tricks without hurting himself as they laughed loudly, high-fiving when they rounded the corner to meet up with each other.</p><p>"What?" Kurapika teased, "like those supposed Tony Hawk wannabes?"</p><p>"It was really fun! Now we might've done it to impress chicks and fit in. But we were good at it."</p><p>"I don't see the fun in it."</p><p>"You don't see the fun in skating." Leorio repeated, shocked. "Take back what you just said."</p><p>Kurapika stuck his tongue out at him.</p><p>"A'ight, we about to start slidin' today." Leorio called some guy who was talking with friends, his skateboard hanging by a tree. "Hey! Buddy! Mind if I use your skateboard for a bit?!"</p><p>"Can you <em>use </em>it?" The boy teased, and he and his friends cackled.</p><p>"I might look old but I still got the spirit!" Leorio shot up, "here," he pulled out fifty Jenny from his wallet to hand to the redhead teenager, "Trust me I won't break it. I just wanna show my friend a few things."</p><p>"If you break it you're paying for a new skateboard."</p><p>"Thanks, man."</p><p>"Leorio, you really don't have to." Kurapika laughed. Leorio dropped the skateboard on the floor, removing his short-sleeved shirt and tossing it on the bench he and Kurapika sat at. All the teenagers gawked at his tribal tattoo. He never really showed it off in public, but Leorio mentioned his dad had a similar tattoo pattern except, even more than he had. </p><p>"If you think I'm so old I'm gonna hurt myself, think again." He hopped on it, rolling his shoulders. "Alright." he pushed himself forward, sliding across the pavement and more eyes were looking his way wondrously, sliding up the same ramp Killua went over, leaping in the air while clutching the bottom of the skateboard landing on the ground. The teenagers started applauding and whistling, Leorio testing his skills by hopping on an empty bench, then a table.</p><p>Kurapika watched him the whole way through. Gon stopped on his scooter, eyes sparkling. "Go, dad!"</p><p>Leorio skid to a stop in front of Kurapika, taking his hand. Kurapika yelped in surprise.</p><p>"What are you doing?!"</p><p>"I'm gonna teach you to skate. C'mon."</p><p>"No no no no—"</p><p>"I'll be right here! I promise!" Leorio winked at the teenagers who started hollering at each other.</p><p>Safe to say, Kurapika wasn't the best skater because once again, he wasn't the athletic type growing up. Nor was Pairo. He kept stumbling all over the place and Leorio had the hold him the whole time with that gorgeous laugh of his and his strong arms around his waist. A lot of them were misinterpreting this as Leorio teaching <em>his little boo-thang </em>and Kurapika didn't have the heart to shut it down. He didn't know doing something like this could have so much intimacy.</p><p>They stayed at the park until nightfall, feeling like the kids have done enough playing around so it was time to go back home. Leorio kindly gave back the skateboard to those skaters who were staying much later than they were.</p><p>"When did you say the fun run was?" Leorio asked, "I might've gotten some e-mails but it got flooded with other stuff that I didn't have time to read any updates."</p><p>"This Friday." </p><p>"Aw man, that early huh?"</p><p>"It's okay if you're not able to make it." Kurapika said.</p><p>"No, I'll just have to take off work this time and ask Pietro."</p><p>Kurapika's face brightened a little, "good... I... might've said some things before. But the kids really like you, a lot." he said, "it'd be good if you continued coming to more things we plan out. The school year's about to end soon."</p><p>"I thought it'd be a problem because they won't stop bothering you about me." Leorio joked, "so you missed me?"</p><p>"Oh <em>shut up</em>." Kurapika scoffed, a flush on his cheeks. "You... have a better way of handling them than when it's just me alone."</p><p>"If you need help with anything, Sunshine, I'm always gonna be there." Leorio said, earnest. "Don't forget about that. That hasn't changed."</p><p>"They miss you." Kurapika settled with that, <em>I do</em>, he wanted to say. But he kept it curt. "Killua!" he called the other boy because he and Gon were playing around in the apartment lobby, "let's go!" Gon reached Leorio's side and Killua caught up with Kurapika. They said their goodbyes.</p><p>"I'll make it." Leorio said. Kurapika smiled.</p><p>"I know you will." </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Okay, they totally still like each other." Killua said, him and Gon watching Leorio teach Kurapika how to skateboard.</p><p>"You think they'd start holding hands again soon?" Gon asked.</p><p>"Who says they aren't?"</p><p>"They said they're just friends." Gon pouted. "But I don't want them to be just friends."</p><p>"I have an idea," Killua replied, "let's get your dad to come to the run so they can be together. He <em>has</em> to come."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Hey, dad."</p><p>"What's up, ranita?"</p><p>"...Do you still like Mr. Kurta?"</p><p>"Of course I do."</p><p>"So why don't you tell them?"</p><p>"...There's always a right time and place for everything. I guess you can say before wasn't the right time."</p><p>"So when is it gonna be?"</p><p>Leorio stared at the cartoon playing on the television, finished sandwiches on the coffee table. "Soon." he murmured. "I just. Need... more time."</p><p>"You'll find time eventually." Gon said, "and then you'll say it." he was confident that Leorio would, too. It made him feel better about how he was handling the whole situation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Baba."</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>"Do you still like Leorio?"</p><p>Kurapika was trimming Killua's hair, because the boy hadn't had a proper haircut in... God knows when. He wanted to restyle it for him, having him sit on a towel on Kurapika's bed.</p><p>"What made you ask such a silly thing?" Kurapika asked.</p><p>"It feels like you're holding back." Killua murmured.</p><p>"...Is that so?"</p><p>"Like, you're only friends because of us." </p><p>Kurapika absently combed his fingers through Killua's hair, double-checking if the white, soft strands were even. "There's a lot of responsibility to think about when two people like each other, especially two parents, who have different families."</p><p>"Is that where marriage comes in?"</p><p>"A next step, but too soon." Kurapika chuckled, "we just have a lot of things to sort out."</p><p>"We already do family stuff together."</p><p>Kurapika knew that. It wasn't the easiest thing to decide that their entirely different lives could mesh together into one as quickly as one-two-three. They had to talk things out. <em>Work</em> things out. He did want to have this kind of arrangement with all the benefits that came with being together, but he had to decide if waiting for it was what he wanted. Killua quickly caught on that Leorio was only around out of convenience, and because you don't just take care of a family together without discussing if it was for the long-term. So it must mean to them, that Leorio had plans to stay.</p><p>"How do you feel about it?" Kurapika asked, "us being a family?"</p><p>"Meh." Killua huffed.</p><p>Kurapika snorted.</p><p>His heart warmed at his approval.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Flyers on the bulletin boards were changed seasonally once the green light was lit on upcoming events. They were also handed out in person to students and parents urging their participation. There'd be music, glow in the dark accessories, and plenty of paint. That part was most appealing to eager children wanting to be part of a fun activity since they weren't really in it for the fundraiser aspect. </p><p>The event was taking place outside the school for two to three hours. They were balling for at three miles from the school and down several blocks. Since it was taking place around six in the evening all participants were encouraged to wear and bring their own glow in the dark clothing and accessories.</p><p>Inside the school, merchandise was being handed out for those who came unprepared. Staff members had to wear the same shirt and students coming to the run would have to wear a dark blue glow bracelet to indicate where they were in case anyone drifted away from the group. It was treated like an after-school field day. Invitations and newsletters were sent out on joining the cause and Kurapika expected about thirty or less at best, but there seemed to be about <em>more </em>than fifty lined up at school property. A boombox was brought outside to play festive music and since their school was smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood they probably wouldn’t be getting any sleep for the next three hours.</p><p>“So Killua had this marker,” Leorio explained as they all looked at the word <em>LOZER </em>written in capital letters on his Yorknew t-shirt, “they said that no one will be able to see it if they wrote on it!”</p><p>“It’s a glow in the dark marker.” Pairo said, patting his chest. “Anything you write on with it is gonna glow in the dark. That’s the purpose of it.”</p><p>“This is my best t-shirt!” They laughed at him, “God damn it I’m gonna kill ‘em! They ruined a perfectly good shirt.”</p><p>“Also the <em>S </em>is spelled wrong.” Pietro said. Kurapika was surprised that he was able to tag along for this event. He wasn’t able to make it for all the others because he had family to take care of and would rather be home to be with his wife and child. It took a <em>lot </em>of convincing on Leorio’s part. It was his idea that they could run together because they already hung out as a family a couple days after Kurapika’s birthday one spontaneous occasion and the kids would appreciate it if they came together again.</p><p>“Phinks and Uvo are on a rampage.” Pakunoda commented, gesturing to their loud shouting and animated gestures, “it’s kinda funny, how they’re training for this like it’s the military.”</p><p>“We’re only running like what, twenty, thirty blocks?” Machi asked.</p><p>“It’s not a requirement to <em>run</em>.” Feitan said.</p><p>“But it’s a fun run!” Shalnark said, “running is strongly encouraged!”</p><p>“I’m going to walk.”</p><p>“Well the kids look excited.” Pairo mentioned. They’re so excited that they’re running in circles around the playground and the courtyard, chasing each other. There would be people setting up stations at every “mile” point they’ve reached to offer water and even more glow sticks. They’d know when they’d get to the finish line when they’re hit by confetti and pelted with glow paint as a surprise. As if everyone wasn’t already decked out in glow gear the staff members were handing out glow sticks, paint, markers, and other things to keep them entertained. Bisky and Cheadle welcomed all the newcomers.</p><p>Until everyone was here, they’d use the playground as a resting point and the run was about to begin in another half hour.</p><p>“Do you guys mind if we bring Oito?” Leorio asked, “she said she got a friend to babysit her kid, so she can tag along.”</p><p>“Of course!” Pairo said, “team effort! I’m also waiting on a friend.”</p><p>Morel said if anyone’s waiting on more people keep it quick because they had to start running at seven sharp, just giving an extra hour for setup while waiting for all the participants to arrive. Unless they wanted to catch up with the group half a mile down the block. Oito came eventually, but she wasn’t alone. She brought Bill.</p><p>“Hey bestieeeeee!” Pairo waved them over. Kurapika gasped and Pietro found the look on Leorio’s face funny when he embraced Bill cheerfully.</p><p>“Hey, you!”</p><p>“Pairo asked me to come, it’s a coincidence, because Oito wanted to bring a plus one.” Bill said.</p><p>“You guys know each other?” Kurapika asked, gaze flickered between Pairo and Bill, “he was my lawyer for the— you know—”</p><p>“We met at the supermarket the other day!” Pairo exclaimed, because this man knew <em>everybody </em>and was every introvert’s worst nightmare once you got to know him. “We bonded over tortillas. It was so beautiful.”</p><p>“Glad to be included in the… <em>bestie</em> equation,” Bill said, stoic.</p><p>“Pairo has many.” Kurapika said, “you get used to it. It just means you’re special.”</p><p>“Look at you guys.” Pairo gestured to Bill and Oito’s outfits, the same as theirs, Oito wore a pair of pants and a sweater while Bill wore track shorts and a plain white t-shirt because that was the recommended outfit they’d wear, what they’d normally wear on a workout day that is.</p><p>“Where are they handing out the t-shirts?” Oito asked, “I don’t think I’m dressed appropriately for the occasion.”</p><p>“Melody can take you real quick. She’s super nice, and <em>real </em>pretty. You’d love her.” Pairo said, taking her over to where Melody was chatting with a few parents. Kurapika glared at him, knowing that Oito was completely overwhelmed when he introduced them. But Melody’s tone was gentle and Oito visibly relaxed in her presence.</p><p>He and Kurapika offered to walk Oito and Bill into the school and Leorio haughtily wedged himself in-between and said he wanted to tag along. Pietro gave him a weird look, following them into the building where Bisky handed them two extra t-shirts, because no way in Hell she was running.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio started stretching when they were waiting behind the starting line, back outside. Making exaggerated noises as Kurapika and Pairo were talking with Bill. As Oito quietly drifted closer to Melody’s side as she shyly asked her more questions.</p><p>“Gotta stretch all you can, right?”</p><p>“Dude,” Pietro cackled, “don’t tell me you’re jealous.”</p><p>“W-What?!”</p><p>“You’re already jacked, trust me. There’s no need to stretch.”</p><p>“Phinks and Uvogin’s making everyone stretch!”</p><p>And he just barely caught their attention. Of course, not everyone was stretching, as it wasn’t advised. If anything, most the teachers thought it was funny the two gym teachers were taking this incredibly more seriously than it actually was. They’re laughing at whatever Bill was saying with that straight face as his and Leorio wasn’t understanding what the fuck was so entertaining.</p><p>He’s not jealous.</p><p>After all, he was the one who broke things off. So it should be fine.</p><p>Then again, it wasn’t.</p><p>He didn’t jump at the opportunity when Kurapika asked to come to this thing to be second to… <em>that guy</em>. He wanted to prove his undying loyalty, even if he knew his joints were going to scream at him for even considering coming to this event.</p><p>This was his chance to ask Kurapika if he thought about the whole<em> waiting it out</em> thing. The fact that he’s constantly occupied by someone or something else was driving him insane. Besides, he only knew Bill for a couple weeks. Why was he so intimidated by the thought of Kurapika moving on? Doing what Leorio would’ve wanted him to?</p><p>He’s aware that Bill was just Oito’s friend simply just tagging along as a plus one and it probably meant nothing more, but <em>still</em>.</p><p>“Admit it.” Pietro smirked.</p><p>“<em>Pfft</em>, what’s so good about <em>Bill </em>anyway?” Leorio asked, “is it because he’s a lawyer? Is that it?!”</p><p>“Maybe he’s just a chill guy, helping the school out like we are. The reason why we’re here. To show our support.” Pietro emphasized, “take it easy.”</p><p>“I’m taking it easy.”</p><p>“Are you?”</p><p>“I am! I’m <em>so </em>chill!” The kids threw paint at him and started laughing through their little glow paint war they were having. “<em>So chill!</em>” he repeated again more vigorously to Pietro, who could tell he was minutes away from exploding.</p><p>“Right.” Pietro eyed him warily. “Let’s walk and take a breather.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The music playing to pass the time and get the mood going stopped. Everyone booed. “Alright, folks, how we doin’ tonight?” Morel took a hold of the microphone when they gathered behind the starting line. Killua had his skateboard with him but Gon left his scooter behind because he decided he wanted to run with everyone else. “I just wanted to say a few things before the race starts. Thanks to everyone who made it here tonight, if anyone’s just now showin’ up don’t worry. You’re just in luck. The party’s just gettin’ started!” A lot of whooping and hollering resonated through the crowd. Kurapika noticed it’s been growing bigger and bigger over the course of the hour. He noticed the way Leorio’s been acting <em>off </em>since Oito and Bill showed up, but he didn’t comment on it because he was being asked to handle a dozen other things. Helping Phinks and Uvogin line up all the participants and count how many people were in attendance.</p><p>“Run’s starting in five minutes!” Phinks announced, “get in line! If we leave, we leave, we got a 5K to run and two hours to spare so move it!”</p><p>“Jeez.” Machi sighed, “he’s pretty strict about this.”</p><p>“Everyone’s here, right?” Pakunoda asked.</p><p>“We have about sixty four participants,” Shizuku reported, “both adults and students from all grades.”</p><p>“That’s… about twice what I expected.” Kurapika said, removing his hair tie to tie it back up into a messy bun.</p><p>“This is gonna be a nightmare to run.” Machi replied.</p><p>“Three minutes!” Uvogin announced. “Stay behind the starting line until the gun goes off!” A lot of the students were bouncing on the balls of their feet, feeling impatient.</p><p>“Just to give a breakdown,” Morel continued, “this fundraiser’s all about giving back to the kids out there who are less fortunate. So this is for an extremely important cause, but we wanted to make things a little <em>less </em>boring. Hence why we asked about all the cool glow in the dark stuff. I promise, parents, it’s for a good cause. If you haven’t picked up a shirt and a couple glow sticks, you have two minutes to run back and do so before the race starts. If you don’t do it now, our teachers, Mr. Hill, Miss Krueger, Miss Siberia, and Miss Yorkshire will remain in the building to hand out more stuff. Grab all you can then. Mr. Netero will be waiting at the finish line. Think of this like the pacer test, but less horrible, and more fun.” There were some chuckles at that.</p><p>“As for the event itself. We’ll proceed to run for about three and a half miles, it is also optional, so if some of you lame people out there wanna save the intense exercise for some <em>walking</em>, be my guest! But everyone else’s gonna leave you in the dust.” Shalnark threw a look Feitan’s way and Feitan stuck his tongue-out at him. “There will be rest stops where our other faculty members will be staying to monitor the race and track your progress!</p><p>So every mile counts! Someone will be at the end of every few blocks handin’ out water and other fun glow stuff, our goal is to light up the night and celebrate life! We’re nine months into the school year, we’ve made it this far and we’re almost there! The music’s also meant to keep the energy going. So if you wanna take a break, take some as much as you can. Enjoy the night. Have fun. Run safely, and be street smart. Stick together. There’s also porta potties waiting about two miles ahead. If you need to take a leak, get there. There’s the best time to do so before you catch up. Are we ready to race?!”</p><p>They cried in triumph. The people in charge of monitoring the race held up their guns. As soon as the shot was fired, Morel turned the music back on. Everyone’s feet lifted from the ground and they bolted down the block.</p><p>There was lots of screaming, as they were waving their glow sticks in the air. Already drenched with glow paint, twirling their phosphorescent accessories around and showing them off. A fence was lined up at the edge of the sidewalk, just in case the group got divided they knew what range they should stay in to prevent anyone from wandering off outside the perimeters the actual race took place.</p><p>The music was the perfect way to get all the participants on their feet and the glow in the dark accessories made it easier for them to stand out, keeping them entertained through the run. The course of the run was straight down every block save for a few dead ends that meant they had to make a few turns into another neighborhood, straying far away from any busier streets because the marathon wouldn’t be taking place in the city.</p><p>Phinks and Uvogin remained ahead, only the people who were desperate to keep jogging without any breaks. Some of the participants were walking. The teachers had to keep a close eye on the children wearing bracelets and stick with them so they weren't left unsupervised. Pakunoda and Machi said they were walking so anyone who was lagging behind could stick with their group. Killua and Gon practically breezed through the other kids, while some claimed it was unfair because Killua had a skateboard as long as they were on their feet and out there getting active no one bothered to give a shit.</p><p>"Hey," Pairo nudged Kurapika over at Melody and Oito, running together and talking, "don't tell me she ain't tryna to smash."</p><p>"Pairo!" Kurapika scolded, the two of them snickering. "Don't say that!"</p><p>"Did you see the way they were talking when we got them their shirts?" Pairo asked, "Melody was <em>hardcore</em> flirting."</p><p>"I think she was just being nice."</p><p>"Pika, Pika. That was <em>flirting</em>. Your gaydar is definitely broken because you didn't even know when LP was flirting with you. You see the way he’s practically steaming at you for talking to Bill?”</p><p>Kurapika flushed, said person in question was running with Pietro. “He’s not! We’re friends! Why would he be jealous of me talking to someone else?”</p><p>“I don’t know, have you considered the fact that he still has feelings for you?”</p><p>“I already mentioned he wasn’t ready for a relationship. Stop being ridiculous.”</p><p>“Do you still have feelings for him?”</p><p>“Me? No. Absolutely not. Killua and Gon are friends and we go on occasional play dates and that’s it.”</p><p>“Ha, and how’s that going for you?”</p><p>“Wonderful!”</p><p>Pairo saw right through that lie, “you still have feelings for him!” he shouted. "Just the other night you were having a mental breakdown because you almost kissed him again!"</p><p>“I do not!” Kurapika snapped.</p><p>“Do too!”</p><p>“If you’re going to interrogate me, I am going to leave.” They reached the first station in about a good fifteen minutes, someone else there to congratulate them and hand them water bottles and free glow sticks. They’d take a five minute break to replenish their energy and walk for a bit, some people zipped past them, following the trail down the block and past an empty intersection onto the next block.</p><p>Every now and then a couple kids would injure themselves and require assistance, so they had to lag behind and patch up their scrapes and cuts before they were allowed to run again. Some of them were prone to accidents so they were put to walk with the teachers at the very back of the crowd of running participants to avoid any more injuries. The rules were to strictly keep themselves within the perimeters of the race and to be careful watching their step the farther they went, make sure to stop for breaks, and to most importantly enjoy themselves. Not the most hard and fast rules in the book, but the kids were so full of energy they’ve already broken a few and they hadn’t even reached the first mile.</p><p>He had to patch Gon’s knee with a bandaid after he hurt himself. “This is the third time.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Sorry,” Gon laughed, “me and Killua were racing.”</p><p>“You two can have as much fun as you like but <em>please</em>, be careful.” The school nurse was on duty but she was far behind them so it was up to the other faculty members to bring along first aid kits. Anyone in charge of the rest stop had extra spares for when things got too crazy.</p><p>“Don’t go outside the fence!” Pairo directed them back on the sidewalk, “no running on the streets unless told otherwise. There might be moving cars.”</p><p>Alluka and Nanika had glowing sunglasses on, putting a necklace over Killua’s head to spice him up with more accessories. Amane and Canary were collecting glow sticks to wave around. Pokkle had on a glow in the dark headband, matching with Ponzu. Komugi had a headband on that resembled a mouse, several bracelets secured on her wrist. Zushi offered to give her a piggyback ride down the block since she couldn’t run with them physically but still wanted to experience the joys of being part of a marathon.</p><p>They had to abide by waiting before the stoplight since some cars would have to slow down for the impending participants, all their glow in the dark themed clothing and items they had on them bright enough to earn some angry honks because they lit up the entire fucking block ahead.</p><p>“Hey, Bill, what do you think?” Pairo asked, “you think they’re into each other?”</p><p>“I don’t know Miss Senritsu well enough to determine anything on her part, but it looks like Oito appreciates her company.”</p><p>“See?!”</p><p>“We shouldn’t be eavesdropping on them!”</p><p>“Think about how insane it is the only music teacher in this school <em>isn’t </em>dating anyone,” Pairo said, “very hard to believe. She needs some action, stat.”</p><p>“Some people keep their dating lives private.”</p><p>“Hey.” Bill nudged his head in Leorio’s direction, “I think there’s something wrong with your friend over there.”</p><p>Kurapika saw that Leorio was clearly struggling to keep up as he hunched over.</p><p>“He good?” Pairo asked. Kurapika jogged back to the station, stopping next to him.</p><p>“I had to get out my inhaler and take a break. Then he just started slowing down,” Pietro explained, “so I thought we’d stop longer.” They had to make room for any other runners.</p><p>“Does he need to wait for the school nurse?” Bill asked.</p><p>“I’m fine, <em>Bill</em>,” Leorio hissed at him. Bill put his hands up in surrender.</p><p>Leorio stood up straight, “just peachy, alright? You guys didn’t need to wait for me. Go. Run.”</p><p>“Not if you’re not okay.” Kurapika placed a hand on his arm, “what’s wrong with you?”</p><p>“Nothing! Just a little… fatigued. That’s it.”</p><p>Pietro handed him a bottle of water.</p><p>“Thanks,” Leorio took a huge gulp, letting the water droplets fall on his bare tank top. He ditched the shirt entirely because he was sweating bullets.</p><p>“Are you sure you want us to keep going?” Pairo asked, “as long as we’re on the right track we can walk with you.”</p><p>“Nah, you guys need to supervise the other kids.” Leorio panted, “don’t worry about me.”</p><p>“Go.” Kurapika whispered to the others, “I’ll stick with him.”</p><p>“You sure?” Pairo questioned.</p><p>“Yeah, go.”</p><p>“We’ll keep it at a slow jog.” Bill said, and they turned around to catch up with the crowd that just rushed past them.</p><p>“Shouldn’t you be running with your new friend <em>Bill</em>?” Leorio muttered arrogantly. Kurapika shook his head slowly, until he put two and two together.</p><p>“Is… is that what this is about?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Do you—” Kurapika laughed, “do you think that Bill and I are a thing?”</p><p>“Of course not!” Leorio’s lying straight through his teeth, “Y’know I bent down to tie my shoe and noticed that you guys pretty much just left me and Pete in the dust. And he has asthma, so he has to stop every half-mile to recharge! Great to know that I barely existed like half the freakin’ run and now my stupid arthritis is flaring up!”</p><p>Kurapika blinked slowly, pitiful, “I thought your condition was only a possibility.”</p><p>“Well I went back to the doctor and he broke it to me, wasn’t the greatest news but. You asked me if I could run with you guys and I didn’t wanna turn it down.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“I wanted to see you.”</p><p>Kurapika sighed, “We see each other outside of school already all the time, Leorio…”</p><p>“<em>No,</em>” Leorio clicked his tongue, “more like. Like <em>this. </em>Y’know? Working together.” he gestured vaguely between them.</p><p>Paint got flicked at them and Kurapika turned around to see Killua and Gon, the glow paint in their hands splattered all over their face and clothes.</p><p>They cheesed wide, handing Kurapika a small can of paint.</p><p>“I thought you two were with the other kids.” Kurapika said, touching the paint that was now smeared on his face.</p><p>“We started playing tag and having paint fights.” Killua replied, “it’s <em>sick.</em>”</p><p>“Quick!” Gon pulled Killua away, “Pokkle and Zushi are coming!”</p><p>Kurapika forgot about the paint guns. They bolted down the block, a lot of them screaming as they were being chased down flicking paint at each other.</p><p>Not only with the adults getting smothered in phosphorescent paint, but other teachers were in on it— Shalnark and Feitan had paint guns and were firing it at the runners passing by by surprise without them noticing.</p><p>Since being as noticeable as possible was encouraged, Kurapika would suppose getting pelted endlessly with paint would help just about anyone stick out.</p><p>“Listen." He began, waiting for Leorio to gather himself together. "If it’s awkward inviting him, you misinterpreted our friendship greatly, he was also my <em>lawyer</em> and—”</p><p>“—it’s<em> not.</em> I promise.” Leorio snorted. Kurapika arched a brow. “It’s not! We all work together here! Plus, I brought Oito along, and it’s not awkward at all because she’s been gettin’ along great with everyone.”</p><p>Which isn’t the same, because she was being swept away by Melody and the two have been swooning over each other the majority of the run. But Kurapika will digress.</p><p>“So you’re not jealous?”</p><p>“No, no. I’d just prefer if you guys, well,<em> slowed down</em> a little. Joint pains make it hard to keep up.” Kurapika still wasn’t convinced, but he nodded. “Go.” he urged Kurapika, “when I said slow down I don’t mean hold my hand.”</p><p>“Okay.” Kurapika smiled, wanting to lighten up the mood. “See if you can catch up, then.”</p><p>“Are you asking to race?”</p><p>“I’m asking if you can catch me.” Kurapika dipped his fingers into the paint and threw it at him, smirking.</p><p>It got all over Leorio’s glasses and his tank top. Kurapika removed his varsity jacket and tied it around his waist, leaving him in just his t-shirt he tied into a knot and a pair of leggings and he started backing away from Leorio. Smearing both his cheeks with a smear of paint to taunt him.</p><p>“You better run fast, Kurta.” Leorio warned lowly. “You just declared war.”</p><p>“Your move, Mr. Leorio.” Kurapika turned on his heel and sprinted forward as fast as he could. They ended up passing Pairo and the others, laughing loudly as Leorio chased after him. They passed the next few stations without taking a break. Somewhere down the road an all out paint war broke out, everyone grabbing as many cans of paint offered as possible, fully endorsing the chaos because they had a trash can filled with paint bottles they dug their hands into— taking handfuls of them to load up their guns and throw at each other.</p><p>Leorio managed to corner Kurapika and get him back by dousing him with globs of neon paint, “I got you now!”</p><p>“No! I wasn’t ready!”</p><p>“Get your head in the game, Sunshine!”</p><p>Pietro smacked Leorio with a hand he dipped in paint, catching him off-guard. “Smack cam!” he winked at Kurapika, who most definitely noticed he was coming up from behind Leorio.</p><p>“Motherfucker,” Leorio had red paint dripping down his cheek, “‘m gonna kill you.”</p><p>“Hold on, one sec,” Pietro took a whiff of his inhaler, and then he flicked paint at Leorio again, “<em>BOO-YEAH, </em>sucker!”</p><p>“Get back here!”</p><p>Melody and Oito were at the sidelines, trying to enjoy themselves like a good minority of the running participants until people started pelting paint back and forth and turning the running course into an all out background. It had led to them getting a little messy as well. But they were smiling. Bill was dodging all the attacks and running for his life, Pairo evilly cackling and showing no mercy chucking paint left and right at people.</p><p>Cluck, Gel, and Pyon were there to hold up signs and glow sticks, waving them wildly— letting them know how many miles they’ve run so far. They have one left.</p><p>“Look! It’s Mr. Kurta!” Gon said. He eventually caught up to Killua and Gon. They made an even bigger mess of themselves with the paint they snagged from the stations because their faces and clothes were <em>drenched </em>in various different neon colors, glowing brightly under the darkened skies.</p><p>“I’m surprised you could keep up with us.” Killua grinned.</p><p>“I’m going to give you a five second head start!” Kurapika held up a full bottle of paint he hadn’t used yet.</p><p>“Crap!” Killua said, “we ran out of ammo!” they picked up the pace and once Kurapika finished counting down he chased after them. They ducked into the crowd of runners and he lost them, looking around. In the sea of people wearing their glow in the dark bracelets that blended into a unique type of rainbow, it was hard to spot who was who.</p><p>“Get ‘em!”</p><p>Leorio busted out of the bush with an army of children, their bottles of paint ready. Gon and Killua were among them. Kurapika ran as fast as he could.</p><p>“Who’re they coming after?!” Pairo asked when Kurapika met him and Pietro.</p><p>“Me.” Kurapika said, “Run.”</p><p>“Shit.” Pietro cursed. They made a break for it, cutting through the unfortunate participants who’d end up getting drenched head to toe in paint.</p><p>They blended in through the crowd but it didn’t stop them from suffering the wrath of Leorio and the army he’s circled around him tossing paint at them. He screamed, because the paint was also <em>cold</em>, felt thicker than being sprayed with a water gun and much messier. His shirt practically turned into a tie-dye shirt. He let them bombard him with their planned ambush and he could see the moonstruck expression on Leorio’s face when they lobbed paint at him mercilessly.</p><p>The path they were meant to run for the next mile migrated through a park, those monitoring their progress on the sidelines cheered them on for getting this far, for this would be the last mile. The trail was stricken with lines of paint to lead them across the designated path and away from the park.</p><p>Kite was at the rest spot, giving them more accessories to put on until the faculty were just as fashionable as the students— sparking a competition between who could hoard all the accessories. The sky looked beautiful from the park’s view, the stars scattered all over and the moon basked everyone’s glow in a different light. They lit up every neighborhood they passed by and the sight of it was beautiful. Kurapika put a few bracelets around Leorio’s wrist, and Leorio put one of those silly mouse ear headbands on Kurapika’s head.</p><p>“Aw, man,” Leorio wheezed, “how many miles we have left?”</p><p>“I think just one.” Kurapika said, “are you tired already?” he teased.</p><p>“No way,” Leorio bluffed. “We’ve been at an all-out paint war for like a whole mile. I kinda lost track.”</p><p>“You don’t have to keep running with us if you’re having a hard time keeping up.”</p><p>“Hell no. I ran for two miles.” Leorio said, “I am <em>not </em>stopping now. It’s just that my legs and my back flare up every couple stops.” As if Kurapika didn’t notice when he’d start limping a little and when the other kids stopped to wait for him he told them to keep going, that he’d catch up. They were already ahead of him again, ignoring the pain and pushing through it so he could keep up with them and play. It’s obvious how much they missed having him around.</p><p>“You’ve done enough.” Kurapika swayed, “<em>rest.</em>”</p><p>“And let you handle like forty children throwing paint at each other alone?”</p><p>“That’s why we have other adults monitoring the race with us.”</p><p>“I feel like I’m not doin’ enough,” Leorio said, “you helped make this happen, I can tell how much this means to you. I want to show up and do more than just… <em>stick around</em>.”</p><p>“You being here is enough!” Kurapika said, not understanding why he’d want to go through such lengths. He assisted with all the planning and joined in on the ridiculous paint war while battling a chronic condition, when he didn’t have to.</p><p>“No, it’s not! You been through <em>so much </em>with Killua, and everything! I don’t wanna just help when it’s convenient, but because I want to! I feel like things changed between us since then!”</p><p>It sounded like the more they stayed in each other’s lives the harder it was to accept that it’ll only ever be <em>this</em> and possibly nothing more.</p><p>“I wanna go back!” Leorio said, “back to the day we met! When we were dealing with the kids’ bullshit and seeing each other every morning and afternoon!”</p><p>“I do, too! More than anything!” Kurapika answered. He always wanted to. He just never found the right time to say it. Not when they patched things up and agreed to start over, there are still gaps bridged between them they had to work through.</p><p>“So why can’t we?!” Leorio asked. “What’s stopping us?! I don’t want Gon and Killua to think just because things didn’t turn out okay we can’t still be a family, y’know? I might not be ready yet… but I just want us to be on the right foot, and I don’t want my decision to come in between that. So, I need you to tell me whether you’ll wait for me or not. I’m tired of waiting for an answer.”</p><p>Leorio had been waiting for an answer this whole time, but Kurapika was afraid to give it since the day he asked. He hadn’t asked about it since then, but the truth was, Kurapika didn’t bring it up either because he truly hadn’t decided if it was worth giving it a shot. If Kurapika was willing to wait for him. Their relationship had been okay for the most part, not the <em>same</em>, but <em>okay</em>. Except for the fact that Kurapika had been holding back many emotions he felt so it wouldn’t cause them to drift like before.</p><p>He just couldn’t bear the thought of getting hurt again and Leorio being unsure, because they had family to think about, family that relied on their connection more than anything. They had to make a decision eventually, if asking Leorio to stick around was a good choice.</p><p>“Hey, guys!” Pairo caught their attention, “we’re finally close to the finish line!”</p><p>Judging by the deafening screams as they closed in to the final mile, the night was coming to an end.</p><p>Kurapika had to snap himself out of it.</p><p>“You’ll give me a ten second headstart.” Kurapika challenged. “If you have what it takes to keep up with me, prove it. I want you to prove that you mean what you tell me. Then maybe I’ll give you an answer.”</p><p>Leorio’s eyes widened, “wait, really?!”</p><p>“Can you do it?” Kurapika questioned.</p><p>Leorio rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms. “Okay.” he accepted it.</p><p>“Wait right here for ten seconds, and then catch me.” Kurapika said, backing away. Pairo was waiting for him, the two of them following everyone else to the finish line waiting at the end of the next two blocks, far away from the park.</p><p>They weren’t the first ones to cross over the finish line. Netero was waiting there with some other faculty members for their arrivals, firing paint at them as a congratulations for making it the full three miles while they waited for everyone else to cross over.</p><p>“Welcome! Welcome!” Netero applauded, “you’ve just made it three miles! Congratulations!”</p><p>“Where’s dad?” Gon asked, as he and Killua already passed the finish line as well. A good chunk of the participants were finishing up the last half-mile. The kids being one of the first to speed through. Kurapika searched through the crowd, uncertain.</p><p>“Don’t tell me he dropped dead already.” Killua narrowed his eyes, “I thought he was tougher than that.”</p><p>“Maybe he ran out of stamina.” Kurapika wiped his forehead, “he couldn’t keep up after all, then.” A shame.</p><p>He couldn’t wait forever, after all.</p><p>Slowly more and more of them were crossing over the finish line and headed back. The area erupted with cheers for the participants that completed the race, confetti poppers, prizes, and paint ready for them.</p><p>“Great job, you guys.” Pairo high-fived them all. Pietro came running to the finish line but Leorio wasn’t with him, Bill closely behind. The other teachers followed. Melody and Oito among them.</p><p>The plan was after they finished the run they’d circle around back to the starting line, taking a moment to gather their breaths considering three whole miles was not the easiest feat for everyone. They started heading back and taking the quickest route back to the school.</p><p>
  <em>“Kurapika!”</em>
</p><p>The voice was a little faint because of all the current noise, but Kurapika heard it. He wasn’t the only one, either. He whipped his head around, hoping this wasn’t just a delusion.</p><p>But he saw Leorio speeding toward the finish line with all his might. Kurapika gave him <em>only </em>a ten second headstart and it took him longer than that to finally catch up to where they were. His eyes widened.</p><p>“The Hell is that idiot doing?” Pietro asked, exasperated, “is he trying to kill himself?”</p><p>“It’s dad! He’s here!” Gon cheered. “He made it!”</p><p>Killua scoffed. He was actually one of the last few people to cross the finish line, aside from those who walked for probably most of the run.</p><p>Leorio caught up to where they stood, hands on his knees. He stood up to his full-height and pointed at Kurapika, his glasses stained with paint removed from his face and his chest heaving with each harsh breath he could. The man was just about ready to collapse.</p><p>“I made it.” Leorio said.</p><p>Kurapika thought he didn’t have it in him to complete the challenge.</p><p>But he ran the remaining mile to the finish line, just like he promised. Leorio jabbed a finger out at him determinedly.</p><p>“Screw it! I was gonna ask this the easy way, but now you don’t have a choice! Give me until the end of the school year to make you say yes to going out with me!" he pointed back at himself, confident, "I don’t care if I have to make you fall in love with me again, Kurapika Kurta. Mark my words! I swear I’ll change your mind!”</p><p>As if over dozens of people didn’t hear Leorio’s bold confession. Kurapika thought he’d die on the spot. Pairo’s snickering, a hand over his mouth. Melody giggled. Pietro sighed. Bill and Oito had smiles on their faces, the kids’ eyes blinked in curiosity. Kurapika’s mouth opened and closed, sputtering. They looked fucking ridiculous smothered in neon glowing paint and Leorio’s having the word <em>LOZER </em>written on it in sloppy handwriting done by a kindergartener, yet he was saying this with his chest puffed out and full of pride.</p><p>As if Kurapika didn’t so badly want to change his mind then and there.</p><p>“Are you an idiot?!”</p><p>“Yeah! I am!”</p><p>Being put on the spot, Kurapika accepted his fate. He did make a promise. And like Killua said, once a promise was made— it must be kept. A sworn oath.</p><p>“Fine.” Kurapika answered. His heart pounded so hard his ears were ringing, “you have a month to change my mind.”</p><p>“I will.” Leorio said.</p><p>He settled on a timeframe.</p><p>All he had to do now, was hold up on his end of the bargain. Kurapika knew his worth, and he won’t be waiting forever.</p><p>So he was going to make Leorio chase him.</p><p>Back to the starting line, Leorio fell in step with them and not once did he slow down most of the way back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>baştirîn hevaş = best friend</p><p>i love cheesy ass shoujo anime love "confessions", sue me.</p><p>fun fact: after doing a bit of research, "baba" is actually one of the more gender-neutral forms of addressing parents in certain cultures. </p><p>if you remember the "fun run" episode of the office... this was heavily inspired by it, lol.</p><p>also... melody and oito rarepair, anyone?</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. no apple a day can keep you away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Killua and Gon borrow Leorio's car for a trip to McDonald's along with the rest of the Pickled Pepper squad. Shenanigans ensue, as Pairo, Pietro, Leorio, and Kurapika team up and take a trip across the city to find them, their adventure consisting of a trip to the police station, an epic battle with a bunch of car thieves, singing songs at a biker bar, and hot steaming boxes of delicious pizza at the end of the night.</p><p>Parenthood isn't the most easiest thing in the world, after all.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ive probably been itching to do this chapter since the fic started... what the fuck. what god damn hilarious trope is better than "honey i think we lost the kids" and i don't think ive seen this happen in any other fanwork in this fandom YET and its criminal!!! so im doing it justice!! i think the adults should get into their own shenanigans for a change, still indirectly caused by the children. but you get what i mean.</p><p>this is so shamelessly indulgent that its its own mini-arc that's a tad bit different from the filler arcs we've been doing throughout the fic's plot... i have to say that ive been inspired by these two amazing fics [<b><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/2406287/chapters/5321774">x</a></b>] [<b><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/5490503/chapters/12685094">x</a></b>] + adventures in babysitting to finally be able to do this!!! the genius idea of car theft was taken from these fics... as for everything else that happens, i thought of on the spot to make things more different!!</p><p>i also made a picrew of <b><a href="https://twitter.com/danganphobia/status/1380736456809910272?s=20">DO!Pietro</a></b> in case anyone was wondering how my interpretation of how he looked like was. i think i should make it clear that he and leorio according to my hc are afro-latinos, specifically mexican :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every joint in Kurapika’s body screamed in pain approximately a few days after the fun run— the fact that they were all reported to come back to work as regularly scheduled after hosting such big, exhausting events was <em>criminal</em>.</p><p>Usually when he went to work when he wasn’t feeling too well he’d have them do hands-on activities that required less assistance and more of a distraction for them so he wouldn’t have to be up on his feet all day. For bathroom breaks and picking them up from recess, or any other class, that was inevitable. He couldn’t exactly lie down on a bed and rest his sore muscles but he had to make himself look presentable lest he’d drop dead.</p><p>They had a meeting to discuss that there would be a substitute teacher joining them for a short term of what’s left of the school year, because the only computer class teacher in the entire department got terribly sick.</p><p>“She’s very vibrant,” Cheadle went on to explain, “cooperative, brilliant, graduated at one of the top IT colleges in the city, motivated, and I think she’d make a good asset to the team while Mr. Jenkins recovers!”</p><p>Kurapika was expecting another man in a well-dressed suit, pain-stakingly professional and would probably choose to keep to himself because he’s not working with them for the long-term. They’ve had substitutes here and there, or were substitutes themselves, one of the motions going through teaching— but because they were drifting to and fro between schools in the district there wasn’t much <em>time </em>to make any long-lasting impressions and the staff was particularly <em>loud </em>and intimidating as it was so not everyone fit in and some preferred to keep to themselves.</p><p>But someone had rolled in with <em>roller skates</em>— everyone’s eyes drifted up from her colorful, striped stockings, plaid skirt, white lab coat, black t-shirt and blonde hair with pink and gray highlights, two big fat space buns and the kind of goggles you’d see a mad scientist wearing.</p><p>She skidded to a stop, the room pitch silent, practically gawking. She stopped next to Cheadle, a pink lollipop in her mouth she tugged out and lifted her goggles. Fierce blue eyes scanning the conference room before her.</p><p>“What up, bitches?” she asked, sharp teeth peeked through her wide grin, “the name’s Lucia. It’s supposed to be Miss Fex, but that shit’s lame. We’re all tight here, let’s keep it on first name basis, yeah?”</p><p>“Wow.” Phinks said.</p><p>“<em>This </em>is our computer teacher?” Machi asked, appalled.</p><p>“<em>Cool</em>.” Shalnark was vibrating where he stood, threatening to burst, “I love her already.”</p><p>“I was expecting some IT reject,” Pairo whispered to Kurapika, gawking at the way she was making rounds around the room in her fancy roller blades, what Kurapika wasn’t sure was allowed to be used in the building but he will digress, “this is <em>so much </em>better, don’t you think?”</p><p>“Miss Fex will be working with us for quite a while!” Cheadle added with flourish, her grand entrance practically made the entire staff’s jaws drop. “Be kind! Be respectful! We’re a family here, so we should welcome anyone new to our team as such!”</p><p>Kurapika might’ve missed a lot since the court hearing, because it was already news to him their computer teacher called in sick and never showed up to school since then. So the faculty was deciding what to do without having to close off computer class entirely, they got the substitute teacher they least expected they’d ever get.</p><p>And because Kurapika was on the verge of collapsing from post-muscle soreness from a long 5K run, it should be a relief that their computer class would be taken over by Lucia the following morning. She had a pet rat named <em>Vinny</em>, (“how come you made us send Bobby to Rat Hell but Miss Fex can keep Vinny?” “because Bobby held contagious diseases that wouldn’t be good for us if we kept him.” “...still not fair.”) managed to pump up the class even <em>more </em>because young children are rather hyper in the mornings, navigated the room by just rolling across her computer chair swirling around like it was her own personal scooter. She had the craziest patent-approved inventions known to man, turned everyone into her lab rats and he wasn’t sure whether it was okay to leave most of the responsibility of his entire class in her hands. But she said “listen, Peeks, I got this man! I got this!”</p><p>Plus, they all <em>loved </em>her. Even if she created a robot dog within five minutes named Bingus and made it interact with the class. They participated in her inventions more than sitting at a table with shitty functioning school laptops and playing computer games for forty minutes.</p><p>She’s going to fit in just fine.</p><p>Kurapika dozed off during their afternoon art class period, succumbing to the soreness and he felt someone tap him on the head.</p><p>He jolted, recalling that he sat on top of Kite’s desk and his head hung low, next thing he knew he was snoozing lightly.</p><p>“No sleeping allowed.” Kite winked.</p><p>“Oh, did I fall asleep?” Kurapika wiped his eyes, “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“That run really knocked the wind out of everyone, huh? You’re not the only one who’s feeling jet-lagged. Half the teachers are falling asleep and calling in sick.”</p><p>“How do you function normally after <em>any </em>event?”</p><p>“You get used to it.” Kite said, “by the way, they’re working on their animal drawings. I’ve been teaching them a lot about zoology as an end of the year treat and they’ve been super into it.”</p><p>“That’s good, at least…” Kurapika rolled his shoulders, “I told them I’m not feeling very well, so I’d appreciate it if they weren’t being too crazy. I don’t have the strength.”</p><p>“How you holding up?”</p><p>“Terribly.”</p><p>“The week’s almost over, you can make it.”</p><p>“But <em>can I</em>?” Kurapika whined. Summer in Yorknew meant hauling in giant fans into classrooms, rolling in television carts to keep energized children in their seats for a day, messy hands-on activities, prolonged recess time and engagement outdoors.</p><p>“You got a summer romance down your belt,” Kite teased, “I say you should look forward to it.”</p><p>“Ugh, oh my God. I was hoping people would forget about that.” ...Except literally no one did.</p><p>“Leorio pretty much declared his love for you in the most grand way possible.” Also, it wasn’t often that someone ran up to Kurapika and boldly proclaimed that he’d give Kurapika a month to make his decision to get back together with him because he didn’t want to play the waiting game anymore, “maybe like, half the school saw that confession.”</p><p>Kurapika facepalmed, “don’t speak of it.”</p><p>“You know when Wing confessed to me he took me to the local zoo I help out at from time to time and it was in a way I had zero recognition of, kind of explaining the mating rituals of penguins and how they mate for life. I had no idea it was about us, so I didn’t even know it wasn’t a confession. Let’s just say I left him hanging for two years.” Kite explained.</p><p>“<em>Two years</em>? Kite, you did not.”</p><p>“Yeah, if you think your love life was embarrassing. Wing thought I friendzoned him. Which is crazy. I actually thought he was cute. When I figured it out I went over to his dojo and challenged him to a match. It was out of the blue, he was in the middle of a class. But I wanted to take initiation, I kicked his ass by the way. Duel probably only lasted for about two minutes because he was so damn flustered, cutest thing ever. I got on top of him and asked him to go to dinner with me.” he smiled fondly, “it seems crazy complicated, being committed to someone, romantically. All it really takes is for you to say something.”</p><p>“Mr. Kite!”</p><p>“One sec.”</p><p>He was pulled away before Kurapika could respond, so he mulled over the story. His love life was… <em>extremely </em>complicated.</p><p>Leorio sent him a text, a selfie of him, Pietro, and Oito.</p><p><strong>LP 💕🩺 [10:33 A.M]: </strong>brand new day today!!! Rise and grind, Sunshine! Hope you’re feelin lucky ‘cause I am. Keep that pretty head up.</p><p>The pressure was most definitely on.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“<em>Even if you have to fall in love with me again?” </em>Pietro asked, dropping a bag of celery into their shared shopping cart.</p><p>
  <em>“Cállate la boca.”</em>
</p><p><em>“Tienes huevos,”</em> Pietro said, “so what’s the plan to sweep ‘em off your feet? Huh?<em> Chico rudo? </em>Man, <em>te gusta mucho panocha—"</em></p><p>“I got no idea, okay?!” Leorio hissed, and he came back from the frozen goods section to drop a handful of bagel bites, chicken nuggets, and French fries, because Gon kept begging him that they were running out of their favorite frozen foods.</p><p>“The fuck do you mean <em>you have no idea?!</em>”</p><p>
  <em>“No pensé que tan lejos!”</em>
</p><p>“You’re fucking hopeless, you know that? They come to your doorstep to talk about how hard things are and you decide to <em>fuck them </em>and the next minute you’re telling me you’re still hesitant to be in a relationship with them, after<em> everything</em>, and tell them you’d make them fall in love with you in a month. You see how bizarre that shit sounds? This isn't a telenovela! Shit's real!"</p><p>Leorio told Pietro something that no one else had known.</p><p>The very first time Kurapika showed up to Leorio’s doorstep, he was distraught. Kikyo was still on the run, and Killua was suddenly in his custody. He knew for someone to have a kid dropped right on their doorstep came with a lot of responsibility because <em>he’d been there</em>, and the only person he had who was willing to help him was Mito. Aura’s family had despised him and thought he didn’t have what it took to take care of Gon.</p><p>The entire situation unfolding in front of him reminded him of his battle to declare Gon as his son and the way he knew it was overwhelming Kurapika made him want to drop everything and run to his side, do what he could to ensure that he wasn’t alone.</p><p><em>“I tried to be calm about this, but I don’t even know what I’m doing.” The tears welled up in his eyes as he rushed to explain everything in a single visit, not even allowing Leorio to speak, “it’s just not the same as seeing them everyday and knowing they have a family to go back to because they don’t. What if I’m not a good parent? What if they realize that they don’t want to stay with me</em>—<em>” Leorio interrupted Kurapika by pulling him in for a strong embrace. </em></p><p>
  <em>He heard quiet sobs as Kurapika’s shoulders shook, a heaving breath, and nails digging into his shirt until he felt something wet on it. It was late in the night, he’d just put Gon to sleep and he had to blink out the tiredness in his eyes. His heart was so full, there were so many things he wanted to do for Kurapika that he’d end up going above and beyond. He’d jump overboard, if Kurapika had asked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s because of how much he still loved him after everything. </em>
</p><p><em>“I’m sorry</em>—” <em>Kurapika sniffled when he lifted his head, meeting Leorio’s gaze, “I just</em>— <em>I don’t know who to turn to, without sounding crazy about what I’ve done.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“You’re not crazy.” Leorio hushed, “I promise.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>💋💋💋</em>
</p><p><em>They shared each other’s gazes, longing. Before he knew it, he captured Kurapika’s lips in an eager kiss. His large hands cupped Kurapika’s cheeks, brushing away the stray tears that streaked them</em>— <em>flushed pink, the way Kurapika melted against Leorio as the kiss steadily turned feverish. Leorio could tell by their fumbled movements they were shying away from anything deep, but he started leaving a flutter of kisses down their neck and the way they gasped, pitched and wanting, sent a spark down Leorio’s spine and he shivered. He’d missed this, and he knew they did too. </em></p><p><em>“Leorio</em>—” <em>Kurapika whispered, a quiet moan leaving them when Leorio pulled them into the apartment, shutting the door behind him, “we can’t do this</em>—”</p><p><em>“</em>—<em>I don’t care,” Leorio growled, “it can only be a one time thing.” he rasped into Kurapika’s neck, he dug his hand across their backside, firmly cupping his rear. Something had switched in Kurapika then, helping tug Leorio’s shirt over his head. He removed Kurapika’s jacket, hurriedly shedding their clothing in the dimly lit living room since going upstairs would be too risky.</em></p><p>
  <em>The pile of clothes beneath their feet stopped once Kurapika was stripped down to his underwear, Leorio lifting him in his arms with his legs wrapped around his waist. Kurapika could freely touch his face without his glasses on, scarlet eyes desperate when they locked with him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Leorio was also being selfish, and he knew that. But he kissed Kurapika fervidly and took him against the couch, mapping every inch of his body with his hands, his lips, his stirring erection swelling in his sweatpants until neither of them could think straight.</em>
</p><p><em>"Can I?" He asked Kurapika, his fingers trailed across the wetness forming between their thighs and how </em>easily <em>Kurapika opened up for him.</em></p><p><em>Kurapika nodded, "yes</em>,<em>" their voice was barely above a whisper. Their lips met again slowly, slender hands tugging down Leorio's sweatpants and legs spread for his taking.</em></p><p>
  <em>💋💋💋</em>
</p><p>Kurapika left that morning, and the next time Leorio wanted the same thing as before, he'd stopped him.</p><p><em>We can't, </em>he said.</p><p>He shouldn't have taken advantage of how he was feeling the first time, even if Kurapika had wanted it. They both knew that they couldn't handle a relationship with no strings attached when he was still moving on from her and the lingering fear Kurapika would leave once things got too hard.</p><p>It wouldn't be fair to ask for such things when he'd end up pulling back. He wanted to be done healing. He wanted to be ready. Not bridge the gap between Kurapika's trust and their current standing.</p><p>“It didn’t happen again, after that night...” Leorio said, “I swear it!”</p><p>“The rule of fucking around like that is knowing one of you’s bound to catch feelings. Which I get it, it ain’t always the case! But when that’s your kid’s <em>teacher </em>and that teacher happens to have a kid which is your kid’s best friend—”</p><p>“—that never ends well, I know.” Leorio grit out, “it was—”</p><p>“—a mistake?”</p><p>“No, too soon... I don’t always make the best decisions.” That’s the hard truth he learned when he decided to sacrifice just about everything to continue being a doctor. This case isn’t any different. But he promised Kurapika that he’d figure things out, a month is a long time to decide if he wanted Gon to be part of Kurapika’s life for the long-term. Which meant leaving everything in the past behind, including his mother, arguably something he can’t just make <em>disappear </em>and instead accept that it’s already happened and it was something he can’t fix.</p><p>“Let’s just hope that love deceleration of yours isn’t a load of bullshit.” Pietro snatched Leorio’s cart and dragged it over to the cash register.</p><p><em>“Tienes que estar bromeando,” </em>Pietro gestured to the long line waiting before them, “suddenly everyone’s gotta shop on a fucking Saturday afternoon?”</p><p>“It’s a weekend.” Leorio reasoned, “...but Gon and Killua were really hellbent on me getting them those bagel bites.”</p><p>“Why did you agree to have us and Zep babysit the kids again?”</p><p>“We have an arrangement, remember? Weekends when Gon’s with me, Killua comes over, he can bring his siblings or their friends or whatever since Kurapika’s house ain’t big enough for them to crash.”</p><p>“They practically treat us like their maids!” Pietro said, “look at how many stuff they asked us to get! And we offered to <em>walk </em>to the supermarket to save unnecessary gas money.”</p><p><em>“Here.” Killua had thrusted a list in his poorly written handwriting in Leorio’s face, “get this for us. We’re hungry.”</em> As much as Kurapika was happy that he and Killua were getting along decently, the boy still tormented him from time to time by putting listerine in his cereal, laxatives in his protein shakes before he went to the gym, and brownies on his office chair because he knew Kurapika wouldn’t like it if he got on Leorio’s bad side and they started fighting again. He might act like a sweet little angel when their parent was around, but he was still a demon. Yet he’s Gon’s best friend in the whole wide world.</p><p>Leorio’s at a fucking crossroads. He’s doing all this shit <em>for </em>Kurapika it’s almost pathetic. If Kurapika had asked him to hide a dead body if it meant protecting their family, he also would. <em>You’re down bad, </em>his friends would say, and they’re absolutely right. But it wasn’t like he could just take his shit and leave, this kind of thing was a sworn oath. When someone asked for a favor like this, especially one Leorio had gone through before with barely anyone to help him neck-deep in medical school debt and a fellowship at his front doorstep he was prompted to pull his weight.</p><p>So if their evil little demon child asked to get them bagel bites, Leorio was going to haul his ass to the local Costco and get those bagel bites. Boys day out or not, he still had a promise to uphold.</p><p>“I needed to stock up on groceries anyway.” Leorio defended.</p><p>“Because all they do is eat all your shit. We never used to run out until Gon started bringin’ his little <em>Pickle Squad </em>posse over.”</p><p>“Pickled Pepper Squad.”</p><p>“You even know the name.”</p><p>“It’s because Gon says— <em>listen</em>, Kurapika’s asking us to watch over the kids. Just for a day. They can’t do everything themselves.”</p><p>“You remember how your kid patients would say <em>simp</em>, and you’d ask what that meant, well that’s exactly what you’re being right now.”</p><p>“I-I’m <em>not simping </em>for Kurapika, okay?!”</p><p>“<em>Oh Mr. Leorio can you watch my kid for me? Why yes my lovely Kurapika, I will, do you need me to drop the kids off so you don’t have to? Why yes of course that would be so kind of you</em>—”</p><p>“<em>Te mataré, hijo de puta.</em>” Leorio hissed. Pietro cackled at him. “If you’re gonna bitch at me about doing this, you shouldn’t have came.”</p><p>“You asked for help and I’m offering it. Just telling you that this whole <em>parenting while not actually dating each other </em>thing is <em>basura</em>— if you’re gonna fix shit fix it <em>soon</em> and not give ‘em bullshit promises because both your kids think you have something legit going on. It’s either you’re in or you’re out! Trust me, I got a wife and a kid, I know I’m in this shit for life! Are <em>you?</em>”</p><p>“I guess we’ll just have to find out by the end of the month!”</p><p>Pietro clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Hopeless.”</p><p>The line was moving at a snail’s pace.</p><p>Much like Leorio's love life.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“The old fart’s taking too long.” Killua mumbled. “I want bagel bites.”</p><p>“Maybe they’re still shopping.”</p><p>“Duh. I want our bagel bites now, though. We haven’t eaten anything since morning.” Leorio said after breakfast they were going to go walk to the grocery store later in the afternoon, so hold off on raiding his kitchen for snacks until then and for the love of God <em>don’t break anything</em>, listen to Uncle Zepile, and behave.</p><p>It’s been over two hours, they aren’t back yet. Gon didn’t have a phone, but Killua did. They called Leorio and he said that he’s still at the supermarket with Pietro and they were going to take a while to come. Plus it was a fifteen minute walk to and back, on foot, just for the exercise— so they had to sit tight and be patient.</p><p>This was ridiculous.</p><p>Zepile was talking on the phone with some girl named Baise— he’s giggling and saying things that you definitely wouldn’t say to any ordinary friend. It’s the kind of talking Illumi did with Hisoka when they were on the phone together and when Killua and his siblings snuck in to eavesdrop he’d throw a pillow at them and tell them to stay the Hell out of his room, slamming the door shut. Pictures were sometimes involved, and talking about sex stuff. That’s the most that he knew, and he told Gon while they eavesdropped on Zepile’s conversation. He basically told them because Leorio and Pietro were away, they could do whatever the Hell they want as long as it didn’t involve breaking anything.</p><p>Zepile usually told them about whatever fake toy selling scheme he had under his belt to entertain them, but apparently his girlfriend was more important and he’d shoo them away while smoking a cigarette and flipping through television channels. Snacks and drinks laid out on the table for him to touch only (they tried to take some but he said no) so they easily got bored of listening into their conversation.</p><p>“Hmm…” Gon’s stomach growled, “what do we do? What if dad and Uncle Pietro got kidnapped?”</p><p>“I doubt it. They’re probably just stalling.” Killua said. He saw the car keys sitting on the coffee table and smirked evilly. “Screw the bagel bites. Let’s go to McDonald’s.”</p><p>“Uncle Zepile’s gonna take us?”</p><p>“Hell no. Leorio said we’re not allowed to leave until they come back.”</p><p>“...but they’re not back yet.”</p><p>“Who cares. We can go ourselves.” Killua casually strolled over to the coffee table, Gon trailed behind him curiously.</p><p>“No, <em>stop it</em>.” Zepile laughed, sitting upside down on the couch with his legs swinging in the air like those lovestruck schoolgirls in the movies Kurapika forced him to watch while they put their hair in rollers and had those sticky face masks on. “You’re <em>way </em>cuter.”</p><p>Killua snagged Leorio’s car keys to his Mercedes. He knew where every single room in this loft was including the secret ones that had buttons to be pressed in order to gain access. Just for blackmail material, but this knowledge had its perks of navigating things even Gon didn’t know and bypassing all the security locks to valuable things Leorio would shit himself if he found out Killua knew about it already.</p><p>With this special set of car keys, he tapped on the keypad to the garage. The passcode was his birthday, the most basic password known to man. Gon awed when the garage opened. Zepile’s still giggling in the living room, blissfully unaware of what was going on a few rooms down.</p><p>“Wow…” Gon gawked, “how did you do that?!”</p><p>“‘Cause I’m smart and awesome.”</p><p>“You’re super smart and awesome!”</p><p>Killua stroked his chin, his ego boosted by Gon’s compliment. “Now we just need to use this to open the doors.” he tapped on a button and the revolving doors slid open. Gon’s eyes sparkled. They approached the sleek, black car. This was one of the many cars parked in the garage, but Leorio liked to use this one for work and his neon blue lamborghini for leisure. Once again, Killua had made note of all of Leorio’s daily activities for blackmail material. He nailed the cars he drove down to a T. His favorite set of button-downs he alternated between his morning and night shifts which he could ruin with bleach down to the way he poured his cereal.</p><p>The moment Leorio double-crossed him, Killua would wreak havoc on him. The man seemed to catch onto this, so he’s been playing it cool since he’s been having sleepovers with Gon.</p><p>They slid inside the front seat, Killua got into the driver’s seat. The doors shut behind them slowly.</p><p>“I’ve never been in a car by myself before!” Gon said, “only if my dad walked out to get something.”</p><p>“Me neither.” Killua got a feel of the controls. The most knowledge he got from these things were movies, but it didn’t look too hard. He didn’t understand why these things only older people could drive.</p><p>“Wait,” Gon had brought his backpack along with him, taking out his frog wallet which was miserably empty. “I don’t have money.” he whined.</p><p>“It’s on me.” Killua smirked, “my parents used to give me a super big allowance I use on candy. I can’t anymore ‘cause I don’t live with them. But I still have money left over. We can buy whatever we want.”</p><p>"Whatever I want?"</p><p>"Whatever you want."</p><p>“We should pick up the rest of the Pickled Peppers!” Gon suggested.</p><p>“I know where they live.” Killua said.</p><p>The garage door opened on command when the car started backing up. He carefully slid down the hill and on the road, turning the wheel and driving down the road.</p><p>With the ability of Killua’s rose-gold iPhone, he contacted the house phones of everything in their friend circle and Komugi, Pokkle, Ponzu, and Zushi were seated in the car with the two boys seated at the front.</p><p>His feet could reach the pedals, they <em>can</em>, okay— as he pretended as if the countless DMV videos he watched out of pure boredom helped him veer across the road to the local McDonald’s like he was in a <em>Fast and Furious</em> movie.</p><p>No one could say shit. The two employees at the counter stared at them strangely when Killua took off his totally not borrowed sunglasses he stole from Leorio’s glove compartment. He nodded at them.</p><p>“Sup, losers,” he said, taking out a hundred dollar bill and sliding it across the counter, “buy us the entire menu, and keep the change.” he said.</p><p>“And also,” Gon perked up, “can we go to the playground?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“How’s that one patient you have? The one who threw a motorcycle at another guy?”</p><p>“Oh, <em>Kazuma</em>,” Leorio cackled, “he’s actually doing fine.”</p><p>“Who the fuck does that? Throws an entire motorcycle at someone else.”</p><p>“Well you remember that a good chunk of my adult patients just so happen to be gang members.”</p><p>“...yeah, I don’t know how you deal with it.” Pietro sighed, “I can’t even deal with Antonio. Actually, none of us can deal with that guy. Then there was the one who had that weird eyepatch.”</p><p>“I can’t exactly tell them to stop putting their lives in danger when that’s all they do for a living. But he has a daughter he gushes about, Kazuma, I mean. So that’s something we have in common.” Leorio explained. Her name was Haruka and she was the most adorable person Leorio’s ever seen. He could tell how much Kazuma cared about her, and he understood the part about putting your kids first over your job, except it didn’t have mafia relations— that’s where they had their differences. Still, he understood where the man came from.</p><p>“You really have the weirdest fucking patients.” Pietro said. They were on their way back to his loft, carrying bags of groceries in their hands. Leorio dropped a few in his hand to open the door.</p><p>Zepile rushed over to them before they could even walk in, a sheepish grin on his face. “Hey guys! You made it!”</p><p>“Zep.” Leorio and Pietro knew that look. The kind of look when a bunch of pissed off customers showed up at Leorio’s house one time because Zepile lied about his address, and they weren’t happy about a purchase, he went and told Leorio’s address and proceeded to use him as a scapegoat to save his ass. “What’s goin’ on, buddy?”</p><p>“Nothing! Nothing! So how was getting those groceries?”</p><p>“The line was long.” Pietro lifted the bags in his hands, “so we had to wait for an hour. Apparently this huge sale was going on.”</p><p>“Cool! So you made it back!”</p><p>“Zepile where’s the kids?” Leorio asked. The air felt different. It felt <em>off</em>, like a certain rowdy energy was missing from it and far too peacefully quiet as his eyes carefully scanned the loft.</p><p>“...so about that.” Zepile clasped his hands together, “I don’t know.”</p><p>“The fuck you mean you don’t <em>know</em>?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Maybe they’re just upstairs?” Pietro asked. “Gon’s room.”</p><p>They headed for the kitchen and put down their groceries, and Zepile quickly cut in front of them.</p><p>“See that’s what I wanted to tell you!” He explained, frantic, “I checked his room. He ain’t there.”</p><p>“What?!” Leorio shrieked, “well what about the pool?!”</p><p>“No. I checked <em>everywhere</em>.”</p><p>“Oh my God.” Pietro’s face paled.</p><p>“Haha, maybe they’re playing hide and seek!” Leorio answered, “alright guys, that’s enough playing around. You got us good. You can come out now.” he checked the cabinets, opening each door, the bottom and top ones, but he didn’t see a familiar child seated comfortably inside.</p><p>Pietro and Leorio scattered to recheck all the rooms Zepile claimed he checked but neither Killua or Gon were turning up.</p><p>“How can you lose them?!” Leorio shouted at Zepile when they met back in the living room, “I told you to watch them while we left to get groceries!”</p><p>“I swear they were behind me.” Zepile said, “I saw them just half an hour ago!”</p><p>“What the fuck were you doing then?!”</p><p>“...I was on the phone with Baise.”</p><p><em>“Ay dios mio</em>,” Leorio placed a hand on his forehead, “<em>Dios me dé fuerzas</em>— Zepile <em>you had one job</em>,” he vexed, “one job!”</p><p>“I’m sorry, man! I was just talking with my girl, I didn’t think they’d leave the fucking house!”</p><p>Pietro stared at the coffee table. He noticed something was missing. “Hey, Leo. Leo.” he saw Leorio was pacing around the living room muttering prayers as he crossed his chest over and over, his mother’s rosary suddenly in his hands, “<em>Leo!</em>”</p><p>“What?!”</p><p>“Your car keys, from when you went to the pharmacy to pick up your meds this morning. It’s gone.”</p><p>“What do you mean it’s <em>gone</em>?”</p><p>“You left it <em>right here</em>.” Pietro pointed at the table, “it’s always been here. I remember seeing it here before we left for Costco.”</p><p>They looked at Zepile, who shrugged.</p><p>“I didn’t leave this place. Like you asked.” He said.</p><p>“So who took the car keys?” Pietro asked.</p><p>“Oh… oh <em>no</em>,” Leorio dreaded, “...there’s <em>no way</em>, Zepile, did you take them somewhere while we were out?”</p><p>“I didn’t.” Zepile said, “I was on this couch while you were gone until I got off the phone with Baise and noticed those two little shits were gone. Just vanished out of thin air.”</p><p>“This can’t be possible.” Leorio said. Pietro, Zepile, and Leorio rushed for the garage, realizing the door’s already been opened sometime ago. They opened the garage, just as Leorio would expect, his biggest fear— one of his cars was missing.</p><p>“What the fuck?” Pietro asked, “Leo, your car’s gone.”</p><p>“No shit, Pete!”</p><p>“Zepile,” Pietro glared at him, “...<em>did you let the damn kids into the garage?</em>”</p><p>“Okay listen, to be fair, how the Hell did they get through the locked keypad?!” Zepile asked, accusing Leorio, “they shouldn’t even be able to get in period!”</p><p>“It was probably Killua. That kid’s still out for my blood.” Leorio said, “wouldn’t be a surprise if they stole my fucking <em>car </em>or maybe got someone else to come and take them for a spin.”</p><p>“We have to tell Kurapika.” Pietro said.</p><p>“We most definitely shouldn’t.” Leorio refused.</p><p>“They’re going to call eventually!” Pietro tugged Leorio aside, “let’s hitch a ride to their place, stat!”</p><p>“What am I gonna do?” Zepile asked.</p><p>“<em>STAY HERE!</em>” Leorio and Pietro told him at once, running out of the garage and getting themselves an Uber as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I <em>know</em> what you’re thinking. I can literally feel you thinking right next to me.”</p><p>“You wouldn’t understand.”</p><p>“No, I don’t. But what I do understand, is that you need a spa day.” Pairo said. “Hence why we’re here.” he gestured to them both seated on the spa chairs at the pedicure section of the spa they were currently at.</p><p>“You’re right.” Kurapika leaned back, sighing deeply. “...Do you really have to take my phone?”</p><p>“Absolutely.” Pairo’s eyes were folded shut as he leaned back on the massage chair. Kurapika wanted to relax, but every time he laid his head on the chair and closed off his worried thoughts for five seconds he’d start fretting again. “You’re not allowed to call Leorio until the end of the day, we established this.”</p><p>“But it doesn’t hurt to check just once…”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>Kurapika puffed a breath. He supposed getting manipedis was surely what they needed after a hectic week of observations, muscle soreness, and teaching in-between. He’s been at this… <em>arrangement</em>, with Leorio for a while now. Why he got anxious every time he dropped Killua off at Gon’s house, he blamed it on the nerves. Killua’s gone missing only once since then, but Pairo assured him it’s just the anxiety that came with parenting.</p><p>“They’re fine!” Pairo said, “do you really wanna be that guy that calls every two seconds to see if they’re not like, dead or whatever?”</p><p>“I’ll feel bad if I don’t.”</p><p>“Take a chill pill, Pika. Today’s meant to be for us, only. We’re getting lattes after this.”</p><p>“I need one right now.” Kurapika nodded, trying to relax on his chair while the beauticians did their work.</p><p>They came back to Kurapika’s apartment juggling iced lattes in their hands. The weather today was nice, incredibly warm and sunny. Pairo’s in his overall shorts and a black shirt beneath, Kurapika wore a floral, red maxi dress. It was one of those weekends when neither of them wanted to think about work and spend time together… and then Killua came along, and well, it was a lot more difficult to do that without having to drop him off at Gon’s. He had to convince himself that this was for <em>their </em>sake and didn’t want to let his worries come in-between that.</p><p>Pairo’s telling him about the latest gossip, laughing while they sipped their lattes. He opened the door for them, Kurapika letting him inside, his trail of thought shifted when someone else had gotten off the elevator— no, multiple people— footsteps thudding against the floor behind them and Kurapika turned around.</p><p>It was Pietro and Leorio.</p><p>“Kurapika!” Leorio stopped in front of them. They looked a <em>wreck</em>, Pietro in blue jean shorts and a white t-shirt while Leorio had on gray shorts with a small NASA logo printed on top and a longline tank on, a snapback turned backwards on top of his shaggy hair and Kurapika had to stop himself from oogling at the two men panting like they ran a marathon to get here in their tight shirts.</p><p>“Leorio? Pietro?” Kurapika frowned, “...what are you guys doing here?”</p><p>“The kids!” His heart dropped the second Pietro uttered those words.</p><p>“What about the kids?!”</p><p>“They’ve gone missing!” Leorio explained, “also my car is gone! And we have no idea if they took it or someone else did!”</p><p>“Oh my God.” Kurapika dropped his latte on the floor.</p><p>“Hey besties!” Pairo flashed a smile, he was inside the apartment so he heard absolutely zero things from the commotion outside. “Are we hanging out today? Why’s everyone here?”</p><p>“Killua and Gon’s missing.” Kurapika said.</p><p>Pairo gasped, “again?!”</p><p>“<em>Yeah!” </em>Leorio answered, “we need your help finding them.”</p><p>Kurapika glared at Pairo. </p><p>"Are you supposed to tell me you <em>expected them</em> to go missing because you <em>sensed</em> it or you were just being paranoid and it was a coincidence?!"</p><p>"Both!"</p><p>“We called an Uber here.” Pietro explained, “in case we end up finding the car, we didn’t wanna risk it.”</p><p>“Okay, fuck, we can take my car then.” Pairo said, he didn’t get settled in so he rushed right out the apartment and they walked to the elevator in formation.</p><p>The four of them reunited once again on an unfortunate Saturday afternoon, walking to the elevator like men on a mission.</p><p>...Then they had to make way for the elderly lady who needed to get to the lobby, the same place as they were, squeezing themselves in the small elevator with the lady in front.</p><p>She left first when they got to the lobby.</p><p>“Why do I have to be the shortest one?” Pairo asked, pouting.</p><p>They all looked at him.</p><p>Kurapika and Pairo left the elevator first, the two tallest men trailing behind them— leaving the building for Pairo’s car.</p><p>“Okay, so,” Kurapika began as they resumed their power walk, “break down to us what exactly happened.”</p><p>“Me and Leo went to go get groceries, like we do every weekend,” Pietro replied, “Zepile was watching them.”</p><p>“I’m sorry— you made <em>Zepile </em>watch the children?”</p><p>“The three of us were!” Leorio said, “sometimes Knuckle too, but y’know he has a bar to run, and Killua asked us to get groceries and practically forced us out the house!”</p><p>“You are aware that this man is wanted by the FBI for his pyramid scheme involving counterfeit goods?!”</p><p>“So he doesn’t have the best track record, he’s been at that since college, but he wouldn’t put the kids in danger!”</p><p>“He allowed them to go <em>missing</em>.”</p><p>“In a situation where the kids did take the car,” Pairo started, ignoring their banter and asking Pietro instead, “where do you think they would go?”</p><p>“Uh…” Pietro puffed a breath, “a toy store? The park? Maybe the school playground?”</p><p>“The school playground!” Leorio snapped his fingers, “they could be there! Killua was there the last time!”</p><p>When they did in fact go to the school playground, Killua and Gon weren’t there. The place was swamped with teenagers there to play basketball, however, about dozens of them occupying the courtyard. That’s when they were at a loss at where they could be.</p><p>“Okay,” Kurapika said, “we might need to go to the police station.”</p><p>“No, no no no,” Leorio snorted, “you have a fucking criminal record now. Remember how you kidnapped a child and slapped Kikyo Zoldyck in the face? And went Jackie Chan on her bodyguards?!"</p><p>“Yorknew is a very large city. If they’re not at the school, they could be <em>anywhere</em>.”</p><p>“They’re right.” Pietro said, “asking around won’t get us anywhere.”</p><p>"Do you really have to take that with you?" Kurapika asked, the four of them slid into the car while Pairo still had his drink in his hands.</p><p>"Bitch I paid five dollars for this mocha frappe, I'm about to finish it on this car ride." Pairo started the engine.</p><p>"How long to the police station?" Leorio asked.</p><p>"Ten minutes from here." Pietro checked his phone. "Maybe less if there's not too much traffic."</p><p>It’s clear the car ride was way too tense, so Pairo turned on the radio to soothe their nerves. <em>Candy Shop </em>by 50 Cent came on on full blast and about twenty seconds of the song played before Pairo turned down the volume.</p><p>“Okay maybe we’ll wait for the next song.”</p><p>“I don’t want to do this as much as you do.” Kurapika said, “but I’m trying <em>very </em>hard not to panic.”</p><p>“Listen, Kurapika…” Pietro and Pairo looked through the front mirror to see the way Leorio put on his best charming smile, his suddenly low and seducing voice as he leaned in, “no need to worry, <em>bellissima,</em> I’ve got this. We’ll find them.” he took both of Kurapika's hands.</p><p>Pairo placed a hand on his mouth, trying not to laugh mischievously while Pietro gave them a deadpan stare. It was like watching a shoujo anime and there's a roses circling the frame of the scene in front of them with sparkles and all that bullshit. </p><p>“Oh, Mr. Leorio…”</p><p>“Sunshine…”</p><p>"We're right here." Pietro grimaced.</p><p>"Shh!" Pairo smacked his arm. </p><p>They were so head over heels for each other. It was disgusting, and a crime that they weren’t even together yet.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The ball-pit of a McDonalds was like paradise for the Pickled Pepper squad. But when they grew bored of that, having finished their McDonalds— which was quite a lot because Killua had bought the entire restaurant with his fancy allowance, they decided that they wanted to go home.</p><p>“How did you learn how to drive a car?” Zushi asked.</p><p>“I looked online, obviously.”</p><p>“...but don’t you have to be an adult to drive?”</p><p>“People drive when they’re teenagers.” Ponzu said, “you don’t have to be an adult.”</p><p>“Killua’s not a teenager.” Zushi clarified.</p><p>“But I can still drive.” Killua smirked, “I’m the only one out of all of us who can.”</p><p>“This is my dad’s car.” Gon said, “Killua’s staying over at my house while Mr. Kurta is busy with work and stuff.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t your dad be really mad?” Pokkle asked, arching a brow. “Does he know you took his car?”</p><p>“Nope.” Killua snorted, popping the “P.” “That’s the point. Don’t you play GTA?”</p><p>They all looked at each other as they left the ball pit, going back to the car, talking and laughing about the car ride. They noticed someone was poking around in the driver’s seat that they didn’t see there before.</p><p>“Who’s that?” Ponzu asked.</p><p>“Hell if I know.” Killua said.</p><p>“Why’s he at the car?” Pokkle questioned.</p><p>“Thief!” Zushi said, “he’s trying to steal your dad’s car!”</p><p>“We have to stop him!” Gon exclaimed.</p><p>“Hey!” Killua shouted, catching his attention, “what are you doing with the car?!”</p><p>Some old fat looking dude with brown hair, tanned skin, raggedy clothes, and looked like he hadn’t showered in days. He lifted his head and turned around to see five big eyes staring right back at him.</p><p>He screamed, and they screamed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>See, Tonpa was a car thief. His goal was to jack a fancy looking car and sell it for some extra cash to last him for a couple weeks, keep him off the streets. It’s something he’s made a living out of. He saw a nice Mercedes, clean, vacant, sitting at the parking lot of a McDonald’s. Usually he’d have to do a little bit of work when it came to getting inside, but the doors were completely unlocked.</p><p>He’d cackled to himself, thinking what idiot would leave their car doors unlocked. Some rich dumbass who barely gave a shit about their most valuable items, that was. It was his lucky day. He unlocked the car door, whistling a happy tune when he turned around and saw a bunch of kids leaving the McDonald’s. He panicked, because that meant their parents were around somewhere they saw him.</p><p>“Get away from the car!” One of them screamed, and they tackled the man just as he was about to get in the car and drive off. He didn’t expect to get manhandled by five angry children, he’s positive the white-haired one had a fucking slingshot and a pocket knife, a yo-yo he kept slinging at him too. Tonpa just wanted to steal a fucking car in peace, and yet he’s getting his ass handed to him by toddlers. This car looked like it would sell a fortune too, he would’ve been able to live lavishly in a five-star hotel for a <em>month</em> if he played his cards right and knew how to save his money. He didn’t want to just give it up. This was a six-figure car.</p><p>“What the heck?! Where did you kids come from?!”</p><p>“Who are you?! Stranger danger!”</p><p>“Get off’a me! Can’t you see I’m busy here?!”</p><p>He couldn’t even drive straight, unable to make it very far because they were trying to yank his hands off the steering wheel and keep him from driving. Claiming that they called dibs on the car first as if it was <em>theirs</em>. Tonpa didn’t see anyone coming back to claim it, and since they didn’t in time, he wanted to claim it as his. No shitty toddlers were going to steal his chance away from him.</p><p>He ended up ramming into a couple of trash cans. <em>Fuck</em>. He thought. If the car was damaged, then it’d ruin the chances of selling the whip as something brand new.</p><p>Tonpa grit his teeth. “You damn brats! Look what you made me do!”</p><p>He’d have to find another vacant car, possibly at a place where it isn’t a public parking lot next to a fast food outlet where someone can spot him.</p><p>“You kids are crazy!” he stumbled out of the car, running as fast as his short legs could take him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Colt.” Cheetu peered out the window, watching the entire situation unfold.</p><p>“Yeah?” Colt asked, standing right next to him.</p><p>“...You didn’t see anything.” Cheetu answered. “You didn’t hear anything. You didn’t say anything. In case anyone asks, we had nothing to do with this.”</p><p>“But they ordered a hundred dollars worth of stuff here, and no one else was here to watch them but us.”</p><p>“We didn’t see anything.” Cheetu repeated, placing his hands on Colt’s shoulders. “<em>We didn’t see anything.</em>”</p><p>Colt gulped, nodding.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Youpi was patrolling the convenience store, stocking up on shelves missing items with the unloaded supply boxes that just rolled in earlier this morning. Pitou wouldn’t do it, because they were watching the cash register— and Pouf sure as fuck wasn’t doing shit either. He left all the heavy duty stuff to Youpi because he didn’t want to ruin his perfect manicure, whatever the fuck that meant.</p><p>It was a slow day, so they weren’t up to much. He still had to stock up the shelves, the worst thing to do on the job. But he’s getting paid for it, so he supposed it was worth it, if it meant a shitty incentive, that was.</p><p>He was loading boxes of tea up on the shelves neatly when he heard a loud crash. A black car had plowed into a couple trash cans and he stood up, frowning. They’ve had people try to rob the store on numerous occasions, so he’s not fazed by chaotic shit like that. Then he saw some crackhead bolt out of the car and five kids followed suit.</p><p>“The fuck?” he whispered.</p><p>“Huh?” Pitou had headphones in, ripping them out their ears.</p><p>“Did you guys see that?”</p><p>“See what?” Pitou blinked.</p><p>“Now’s not the time for any silly distractions.” Pouf breezed past, gesturing to the boxes next to Youpi, “we have to get these all stocked up by the end of our shift.”</p><p>Youpi sighed, whatever. If they didn’t want to acknowledge what they saw outside, then it was none of his business either.</p><p>He continued shoving boxes of tea on the shelves. He paid no attention to the door opening and one of the kids sneaking in, slipping past Pitou, nodding their head to the music they were listening to while flipping another page in their magazine. Pouf had went back into the backroom to handle other things, the three of them the only ones working on shift with the store practically being a ghost town.</p><p>The kid had stolen a few candy bars from the front register the second Pitou turned around to take another magazine from the rack. Youpi stood up, the kid probably didn’t notice him because he walked up to the register to hand a couple things meant for the front counter over and he was face to face with a white-haired kid with big blue eyes.</p><p>“What the—?!” he jumped back. The kid responded by shoving a fist right in his balls, turning his heel and booking it for the glass door. His friends, likely, were waiting for him with bated breath. They high-tailed it past the car. “Hey!”</p><p>“What’s going on, Youpi?” Pitou finally turned around, noticing Youpi’s clear agony.</p><p>“That kid just stole candy from us!”</p><p>Pouf ran out of the backroom, “I just noticed a child on the camera feed—”</p><p>“—no shit, because they were outside a second ago!” He ran outside, Pouf and Pitou followed after him, “hey!” he shouted. But the kids were already gone. The only thing left was the car and the trash cans knocked over being the only things left.</p><p>Pitou whistled, “that’s a nice car.”</p><p>“Why is this here?” Pouf asked.</p><p>“The car ran into the trash cans, that’s what fucking happened.” Youpi replied, “<em>God</em>,” that kid packed a punch in that tiny little hand of his.</p><p>They checked inside the car, no one else was inside.</p><p>They all looked at each other, running to the end of the block where the kids were last seen running toward before they vanished. Far, far away from the crashed car.</p><p>“...so who do you think was driving?” Pitou questioned.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Here’s our story,” Leorio explained as they left the car, heading into the police station, “we were all at the park, we took the kids. We left for a second to go get them ice cream and when we came back they went missing.”</p><p>“What about your missing car?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“We don’t mention the missing car.”</p><p>“It’s… six pm,” Kurapika checked his watch, “so far, we’ve been searching for an hour.”</p><p>“Maybe we can say thirty minutes,” Pietro said, “to make it seem like we haven’t been wandering around aimlessly for an hour.”</p><p>“Listen, we’ve gotta tell them something!” Leorio hissed, awkwardly huddled in front of the door debating on whether they should go in or not. “We can give a description, and then they’d help look around.”</p><p>Everyone agreed on the story and the plan, opening the door and walking into the police station. Just as they did, they met up with another group of people.</p><p>The three strangers stared at the four of them, silence flooded throughout the police station other than phones ringing, quiet chatter, shuffling papers, and doors opening and closing.</p><p>“Uh,” Leorio frowned.</p><p>“Hi.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“Hello.” The other blond had responded.</p><p>“Hi!” The white-haired person standing next to him waved, meanwhile, the darker skinned brunet with a permanent frown etched on his face stared them down suspiciously.</p><p>“Why are you guys here?” He asked, telling the other two to stop before they said anything else.</p><p>“Uh, excuse me—”</p><p>“Shut up. I’m asking a question.”</p><p>The man behind the desk shrunk, staying silent despite the fact that he was in the middle of filing a report himself.</p><p>“So…” Pietro decided to speak up, “we came here to file a missing person report.”</p><p>“You too, huh?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Have you seen a kid with spiky black hair, brown eyes, usually wears green?” Leorio questioned. “Now it sounds crazy, I just feel like it might be a coincidence… by any chance we’re making the same claim here.”</p><p>“Well I saw some kid.” The brunet said, “some kid who punched me in the balls and stole candy from our store before he ran off.”</p><p>“What?!” Leorio, Pietro, Kurapika, and Pairo blanched. They ignored the man at the front desk, flustered by the sudden crowd as they got closer.</p><p>“White hair? Blue eyes? A mean look?” Kurapika asked, “please, sir, anything helps. We might be looking for those same kids.”</p><p>“Is there a chance you might know the man who left the car unoccupied, then?” The blond asked, the four inspected their red vests, names matched to their faces. <em>Pouf, Pitou, </em>and <em>Youpi</em>.</p><p>“Who…?” Leorio asked, “we don’t know anyone who was driving the car. Just the kids who were in it.”</p><p>“It wasn’t just one kid.” Youpi said, “I saw like, five of ‘em rush outta there.”</p><p>“Oh Jesus.” Leorio whispered, “must be their friends from school.”</p><p>“Most certainly,” Kurapika agreed, “do you have any idea where they went?”</p><p>“After Youpi caught them trying to steal from us, they left.” Pitou added, “they left the car, so we had to have it towed and taken to a garage,” they placed a hand on their chin, “they might’ve gone the opposite direction from our store. As for the guy, no clue.”</p><p>“Car thefts and missing kids, this city is a fucking nightmare.” One of the supervisors in the office muttered to himself, overhearing their panic from the other booth.</p><p>Leorio, being the one who kept his composure at least for a majority of the goose chase started to panic as soon as Kurapika kindly thanked the convenience store workers— just as frazzled as they were when they explained the situation Youpi saw happen before his very eyes.</p><p>“Someone stole my car.” He breathed, “so the kids weren’t alone, then?”</p><p>“...well it sure seems like it.” Pairo said. “At least they were with an adult.”</p><p>“They were in the car with a stranger! Now we can’t find them!”</p><p>“Leorio.” Kurapika approached him. He blinked. Kurapika smacked his cheeks with both hands, hard. Leorio winced. On the verge of a mental breakdown. “You’re the one who told me to calm down earlier. What happened to the brave doctor that I know that saved my life when I almost died?”</p><p>“Kurapika…”</p><p>“Do you want to find our children?”</p><p>“Of course I do!”</p><p>“So <em>hold it together</em>.” Kurapika squeezed Leorio’s cheeks firmly, and it looked kind of funny, Kurapika having to stand on his tip-toes to cup his cheeks and squish them because of his stunt in height. He let go. Leorio sighed.</p><p>“Okay. I’m calm.” Leorio said.</p><p>“Maybe we can drive around the area where the deli’s at.” Pietro said, “there we can check out the block and ask around. Those guys at the station mentioned they went that direction.”</p><p>This was going to be a long night.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I’m thirsty.” Pokkle said.</p><p>“We can’t go back to the store.” Zushi replied, “Killua stole candy from there.”</p><p>“What are they gonna do, arrest us?” Killua asked.</p><p>“Yeah, they can! It’s like wanted levels in GTA! They can arrest you if you do something bad! And you were on the news!”</p><p>“Crap.” Killua clicked his tongue. “I didn’t think that far, actually.”</p><p>“What’s your wanted level?” Zushi asked. “Five?”</p><p>“How should I know?! I never got caught doing bad stuff!”</p><p>“Those guys could tell on us if we go back.” Ponzu said. “We shouldn’t go back.”</p><p>“Do you guys have any idea where we are?” Pokkle asked, as they ran down into a subway to hide from the guys from the store chasing them down. They walked into the next open train and got off at the next few stops, going upstairs and entering the city again, finding themselves in a completely different part of town. Killua said they needed to change their identities so the cops didn’t recognize them.</p><p>He took them into a store so they could buy hats and glasses, walking out of the store with different colored hats on.</p><p>“If anyone asks, we’re sixteen.” Killua told them, “and we’re on the run. If they ask for any more details, tell them nothing.”</p><p>“Aren’t we not supposed to talk to strangers?” Gon asked.</p><p>“They might talk to us anyway. So we need to be careful.”</p><p>“Are we in Chinatown?” Ponzu asked.</p><p>“No, we need to go into sewers to get there.” Zushi said.</p><p>“Where can we get juice?” Pokkle questioned.</p><p>“I don’t know...” Gon scratched his head. “But we can go in there and ask for juice.” He pointed at a bar that spelled out <em>Black Whale, </em>the sign’s lights flickered from bright to dim, black and white lettering. They ignored the dozens of motorcycles that lined the side of the building by the curb and walked right in.</p><p>“I need to pee.” Zushi said, “we can ask if they have a bathroom.”</p><p>"I need to go too." Komugi spoke up.</p><p>“Sure.” Killua said. He put on his sunglasses to try and conceal his identity, a beanie hat that he definitely snagged from one of the stores they went into. They entered the open doors into bar. There’s a lot of older women here, most of them wearing Hawaiian shirts, talking and laughing.</p><p>There's a stage where people in the same kinds of tropical outfits in different shades and colors were playing music, it was a very lively place.</p><p>A blond woman inked out in black tattoos showing through her black tank top and short sleeved Hawaiian shirt, denim jeans, and combat boots, was serving drinks at the counter. She saw the children walk in, and another woman with long curly hair and a purple, floral bandeau and a slit maxi skirt that fell down her waistline.</p><p>“Uh, hey,” they exchanged glances, looking at the kids, “you guys lost?” she asked.</p><p>“We’re on the run.” Killua said, “it’s best you don’t say anything.”</p><p>“Okay,” The curly-haired woman giggled, “I’m sure your parents will be here to find you soon, is that it?”</p><p>“Do you have a bathroom? Er, Miss…” Gon scanned if there were any name tags on either of the womens’ clothing, but he found none.</p><p>“Theta.” The blond answered, “this is Morena, my partner,” she said. “And the bathroom’s down that hall over there next to Salkov. Just tell him you’re here to use the bathroom. He’ll let you in.”</p><p>“Thank you!” Gon said. Zushi and Komugi offered to go with Pokkle and Ponzu said she’d wait outside for them. Just in case Salkov abducted them, because they didn’t trust the big scary bodyguard waiting at the bathroom watching them like a hawk.</p><p>“Whatever you do,” Killua reminded them, “don’t tell him why we’re here.”</p><p>“Mind telling us why you’re on the run? Kids?” Theta handed them glasses of orange juice, because she wasn’t going to ID a bunch of little kids.</p><p>“We’re wanted.” Killua explained. “See, we did something bad.”</p><p>“Like?” Morena had a smile on her face, and Killua took offense to that. Like they weren’t taking them seriously.</p><p>“Secret.”</p><p>“Aw, that’s too bad. We’re good at keeping secrets. Right, Tata?”</p><p>“Sure.” Theta shrugged, wiping down the counter with a wet rag. “How’d you end up on this part of Yorknew?”</p><p>“We can’t talk to strangers.” Killua did most of the talking while Gon drank from his orange juice. Morena and Theta glanced at each other.</p><p>“These strangers just offered you orange juice.” Theta said. "Stay a while, we don't bite. We're friendly here."</p><p>“This is really good!” Gon replied, “can we have more? Miss Theta?”</p><p>Killua nudged him. “This is a trap.” he whispered. “As soon as our friend leaves the bathroom, we’re gonna leave.”</p><p>“Then you can’t have another glass of orange juice. Policy here is that you stay your welcome if you sail on the Black Whale.” Theta replied flatly. “Tell us a little more, and I’ll pour you another glass, little punk.”</p><p>“We’re lost!” Gon confessed. Killua looked at him with wide eyes.</p><p>“Why would you say that?!”</p><p>“I’m sorry! I can’t lie! My dad told me to always tell the truth or lies just get bigger and bigger, like Pinocchio!”</p><p>“Lies help keep us from getting arrested by the cops!”</p><p>“The cops?” Theta hummed at this information, sliding Gon another glass of orange juice. “You guys got in trouble with the police?”</p><p>“No.” Killua glared warily.</p><p>“Not yet.” Gon answered more clearly, “See, we wanted McDonalds, so we drove there in my dad’s car. We picked up our friends too, and we got McDonalds and played in the ball pit. We found some guy trying to steal my dad’s car. We stopped him, and he ran away. Then we crashed it. It was straight up like GTA. Then we wanted candy. So we wanted to be on the lookout for when my friend snuck into this store to get candy for us. Then we got caught. So we left the store and ran into the subway. Took a train and ended up here.”</p><p>“Wow, sounds like quite the adventure.” Morena replied, brows raised.</p><p>“That’s why we’re wanted.” Gon finished, sipping all of his orange juice in one go. "Sorry, Miss Morena and Miss Theta. We don't want to put anyone in danger."</p><p>“Good boy. Thanks for telling us. You're safe here, okay?" Theta looked at Killua, nodding at him, “hey, you mentioned you drove your dad’s car. Is…”</p><p>“Gunther.” Killua blurted out before Gon could reveal his actual name, “my name’s Kevin.”</p><p>“Okay,” Theta said slowly, “is <em>Gunther</em>’s dad after you? Is that why you’re running away?”</p><p>Pokkle, Ponzu, and Zushi came back from the bathroom with Salkov.</p><p>“These kids were telling me that they’re on the run from the police.” Theta told Salkov. “Kevin and Gunther, they said their names were.”</p><p>“Let’s play what they’re playing.” Killua pointed at the pool table where another group of women dressed in their cool Hawaiian shirts were playing.</p><p>“O-Okay.” Gon looked at Theta, “can I have more orange juice?”</p><p>“Can we have some too?” Pokkle asked. “For me and my friends.”</p><p>“You all are together?” Theta asked them, pouring the orange juice into three different glasses.</p><p>“Yeah.” Zushi said, “we just wanted juice and to go to the bathroom.”</p><p>“Can we play pool?” Killua asked the bartender.</p><p>“If you’re good at it.” Theta teased. “Our regulars here are champions. But first, you all need to be properly dressed.” She said.</p><p>“Pickled Peppers,” Killua cocked his head at the pool table, “let’s play some pool.”</p><p>That’s where they spent half an hour engaging in pool matches with the nice locals there, they looked like tough people, but they were actually friendly. They swapped their poor disguised outfits and instead dressed up in tropical garb from the lei to the shirts, pretending like the bar was an actual cruise ship. Gon seemed to like it here, and so did the others, but Killua was still wary. Theta, Morena, and Salkov watched as the kids showed off their skills and they were fit to be worthy opponents. Without even trying as hard. Killua didn’t need to be taught the skills of pool, but they taught him anyway. He took over from there, using stools to reach the pool table and pocket all their shots, and the whole bar would be cheering them on when he went.</p><p>Their friends were cheering Killua on as he went head to head with one of the champions.</p><p>“I can’t believe our regulars are getting owned by little kids.” Theta said, “are you seeing this?”</p><p>“You got spunk, kid.” Selena, one of the regulars there— patted Killua on the head. “Where you guys come from?”</p><p>“Not for you to know.”</p><p>She chuckled. “Mysterious type, eh?”</p><p>“Maybe.”</p><p>“I like that. You play good.”</p><p>“Who you kittens waitin’ on?” Another had asked. The questions were getting too personal.</p><p>Killua exchanged silent words with the other four, knowing that they had to bounce. Gon wanted more orange juice, but Killua saw a man walk into the bar, dyed blond hair and a red shirt on as he casually stopped at the bar to ask for a beer.</p><p>“Do something.” Killua whispered to Gon, “we can’t have them call the police on us.”</p><p>“What do I do?!”</p><p>“I don’t know, make something up!”</p><p>“To go,” he said, “I got pizzas to deliver.”</p><p>“Dad!” Gon blurted out, “there you are!”</p><p>The pizza delivery man blinked, wide green eyes went wide, gawking. Killua nudged Gon, urging him to continue going along with it.</p><p>“About time.” He huffed.</p><p>“That’s not—” Killua glared at Pokkle before he could say anything else.</p><p>“We were waiting here because… Gunther’s dad is here.” Killua explained to the other regulars, “we just wanted to play here for a while.”</p><p>“Aww, is that so? We had a really fun time with you guys.” One of the regulars mourned.</p><p>“We were waiting for you!” Gon threw his arms around the man.</p><p>The pizza delivery man laughed, seeming to catch on. “Sorry if I was out for too long. I had to run a few errands. I thought you guys were staying at the pizza shop.”</p><p>“Can we have pizza?” Pokkle asked, “we haven’t eaten in forever.”</p><p>“Well sure!” The pizza man replied happily, and Theta slid a beer bottle his way. He paid a couple Jenny for it and thanked them.</p><p>“You’re their dad, I’m assuming?” Theta asked, “‘cause they mentioned they crashed your car.”</p><p>“They did, huh?” The pizza man glanced at the kids, “well it seems pretty fixed up to me. Hey, you guys wanna come with me and make a few deliveries?”</p><p>“Does that mean we get pizza?!” Gon asked brightly.</p><p>“Sure thing!”</p><p>"Wing wants me home by nine!" Zushi said. "I can't stay out too late with you guys."</p><p>"I also have to go home soon..." Pokkle frowned, "aw man, I really liked hanging with you guys."</p><p>"I can drop you guys off then." The pizza man offered, "just so your parents don't worry!"</p><p>They cheered, following the pizza man out of the bar. Salkov, Morena, and Theta watched them as they disappeared out the door.</p><p>“You think that’s really Gunther’s dad?” Salkov asked.</p><p>“No, dumbass,” Theta sighed.</p><p>“They’re an adorable bunch.” Morena commented. “I hope they find their way back to their real parents soon. Poor things really are lost.”</p><p>“And wanted by the cops.” Theta said, “so we definitely gotta tell Nick.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Oito and Melody entered the next bus that pulled up at the bus stop. They just had a splendid dinner date. Melody really knew the most glorious places around the city, and it was worth asking of her co-worker to watch over Woble while they spent a night out together.</p><p>Everyone was claiming that she should agree to the date when Melody dropped by the hospital to ask. Somehow word got out to Leorio, and she felt awkward having to say she had a <em>date</em>— as he was her superior, technically, on the same surgical team— but he told her that she should go for it if she really wanted to. Her last failed relationship with her ex-husband left her devastated with a child in tow needing her full support, and for the first time she’s able to live her life again, fully, little by little.</p><p>She accidentally stumbled into Melody when someone had gotten up to leave a free seat for them. Melody caught her in time, and they fell against the seat.</p><p>“I’m— I’m so sorry—” Oito laughed, tripping over her words as the bus rattled from side to side, moving once again. Melody giggled, their gazes met.</p><p>“It’s alright.” Melody smiled. They both flushed, averting their gazes.</p><p>“Um, I had a good time with you tonight.” Oito confessed, after a beat, “thank you… for showing me the joys of being young again.”</p><p>“I’d like to do it again.” Melody said, forward, “only if you want to.”</p><p>She still had her arms wrapped around Oito from when she had tripped, and their faces were inches apart.</p><p>Steadily leaning in for a kiss, her eyes landed on a familiar set of children heading out of a bar with a man wearing a red hat on his shaggy blond hair with the logo of a pizza place printed on it.</p><p>That wasn’t Leorio. Nor was it Kurapika.</p><p>...So who were they with?</p><p>“Oito?” Melody asked.</p><p>Oito helplessly watched the bus move as she reached for her purse, her hands fumbling as she dialed Leorio’s phone number.</p><p>Melody looked at her, and she looked at Melody.</p><p>“I might be mistaken, but I think I saw Kurapika’s students outside just a moment ago.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“My car isn’t there anymore.” Leorio said they just reached the store which had been closed about an hour ago because it reached eight in the night.</p><p>“Do you guys remember the garage they sent it to?” Pietro asked.</p><p>“Uh… was it Hanzo’s Repairs?” Pairo asked. The knocked over garbage cans was a sign that they <em>were </em>here, not currently.</p><p>“I’m calling. In the meantime, we should split up. I go with Pairo, and Leorio go with Pietro.” Kurapika dialed the number, they checked all around the source of the crash at any open stores, even pedestrians hanging around the area. None of them had seen anyone familiar.</p><p>When they came back to the same spot, Kurapika mentioned that they in fact, had Leorio’s car in their garage getting fixed up because the crash did some minor damages.</p><p>“Oh thank God.” Leorio said, “how much is it?”</p><p>“About three-fifty.”</p><p>“That’s fine. When’s it gonna be done by?”</p><p>“Hanzo said to give them another two more hours.”</p><p>“Two more hours?!” Leorio blanched, he checked his watch, “it’s nine in the night! We’ve been running around the whole city with no lead!”</p><p>“I asked if there’s a way they could fix it any sooner and he said they’re working as much as they can, unless we’re willing to pick it up tomorrow.” Kurapika hung up the phone, folding his arms.</p><p>“No way we’re waiting until tomorrow, I gotta get my car now. How far’s the place?”</p><p>“...Half an hour from here, I believe?”</p><p>“We shouldn’t be worrying about the car right now.” Pietro said, “we’ve gotta find the kids first.”</p><p>Pairo noticed a man limping as he walked down the block and into an alleyway, muttering something under his breath. “Hey,” he said, strangely, “how about we ask that guy? The one headed to the subway.”</p><p>“The guy that looks like a crackhead. This shit ain't Scooby Doo.” Leorio said. “Let’s go back to the car and keep searching.”</p><p>“No, I think Pairo's onto something. We need to ask anyone who could’ve been a witness. He could know something we don't.” Kurapika agreed with Pairo. Pietro and Leorio didn’t have a good feeling about this, but they approached the disturbed man anyway. He looked like he was injured, the closer Leorio got to him and fuck, the doctor in him had to give a shit.</p><p>“Hey.” Leorio caught his attention, “you doin’ alright?”</p><p>The man looked frightened, “I-I don’t know anything! I swear!”</p><p>“Mister,” Kurapika said as politely as he could, “we’re just here to ask you a question.”</p><p>“I ain’t telling you shit! I didn’t steal that car!”</p><p>The four of them exchanged glances.</p><p>“What car?” Pietro asked.</p><p>“Was it a black one?” Pairo questioned, “did there happen to be like, kids inside, or something? Do you know it?”</p><p>“I don’t!”</p><p>“Wait a minute!” Leorio jabbed a finger the man’s way, “you’re the one who stole my car?!”</p><p>The culprit’s eyes widened, “I didn’t get to steal it because those crazy kids tried to <em>kill </em>me!”</p><p>“So you admit to stealin’ it?!”</p><p>“I <em>tried </em>to! Then I ran off. I don’t know where the Hell they went or if they took the car back. I came back to check if it was still there myself.”</p><p>“You little—”</p><p>Kurapika stepped in front of them. The man was about to shit his pants at the fiery gaze in Kurapika’s eyes, turning scarlet. He cornered him against the fence, and punched the side of it with all his might until the fence had a dent in it. So hard that it made Pairo, Pietro, and Leorio jump.</p><p>“You mean you left the car unattended knowing there were children in there?” Kurapika asked lowly, “<em>unsupervised</em>?”</p><p>The car thief bristled, face paling at the punch.</p><p>“<em>Talk</em>.” Kurapika demanded, “or the next strike will not miss, I assure you.”</p><p>“I swear I don’t know where they are!” The car thief dropped to his knees, begging at Kurapika’s feet. “They attacked me! I didn’t even know the car belonged to you! I just thought they were tryin’ to stop me from stealin’ some idiot’s car that left their doors unlocked. Please don’t hurt me. I didn’t mean to let them run off.”</p><p>“Do you know where they ran off to?” Kurapika asked, not moving a single inch from where the man was kneeling.</p><p>“The subway, I think? I don’t know!”</p><p>Kurapika turned back. “The subway.” he said.</p><p>“Where could they have taken the train to?!” Leorio cried. There were a billion different possibilities. It was endless. They’d be running around for an entire night. His pleas were answered when he got a phone call. The car thief took that as a chance to scramble up to his feet and run away, half-limping still. He pulled out a phone and started dialing away, "hey, help me out here. I think a couple of narcs are tryin' to blow my cover!"</p><p>“It’s Oito.” Leorio said. They huddled around Leorio as he answered the phone in the dimly lit street of the closed store on the block. He accepted the call, “yeah, Oito, what’s up?”</p><p>
  <em>“Um, Mr. Paladiknight… forgive me if this sounds absurd… but do you happen to be in downtown Yorknew?”</em>
</p><p>“We’re still in South Ridge county.” Leorio responded, “we’re not even close to the city.”</p><p>
  <em>“I figured as such, because Melody and I might’ve seen them in the area. Blitz street.”</em>
</p><p>"Seen <em>who</em>?!"</p><p>
  <em>"Your children and their friends...?"</em>
</p><p>“Blitz street?!” Leorio asked, “how the Hell did they get that far?!”</p><p>“Isn’t that the town where known biker gangs go to?” Pietro asked, “that’s the shadiest part of city.”</p><p>“Oh dear.” Kurapika sighed, “that’s not good.”</p><p>“So they took the train there, then.” Pairo said, “after the car crash incident.”</p><p>“Precisely.”</p><p><em>“We’re not sure.” </em>Melody’s voice switched in, <em>“Oito spotted them first. We’re not in the area anymore because we’re on a bus, and it passed the stop after we got on.”</em></p><p>“Have you seen where they might’ve gone to by any chance?” Leorio asked. “Like… any places that’s open?”</p><p><em>“I know there’s a few thrift shops here. And there’s also the Black Whale. It’s a stretch, but Nick works there.” </em>Oito said, <em>“he owns the bar. I believe there’s a pizza place a few stores down they may be going to, but the bar is where I saw them leaving.”</em></p><p>“We’re on our way.” Leorio said, “thanks.”</p><p>
  <em>“I hope you find them soon.”</em>
</p><p>Leorio hung up the phone. “So I guess we’re going to Blitz street!” he exclaimed. “You guys up for an adventure?”</p><p>"Not yet." Pairo said, staring straight ahead.</p><p>It's the car thief.</p><p>But he's not alone, this time. He bought friends.</p><p>Friends who didn't look very happy.</p><p>"Are you kidding me?" Leorio whispered.</p><p>"There they are!" The car thief pointed at them, rushing over to hide behind them.</p><p>"You the narcs?" One of them asked.</p><p>"The what?" Pietro asked.</p><p>"The dumbasses trying to put our operation underwater."</p><p>"...Did he just contact his entire syndicate?" Pietro asked. </p><p>"It seems so." Kurapika placed a hand on his hip, "so you're trying to silence us, is that it?"</p><p>"There's only one way to keep your mouths shut. 'Cause of you, Tonpa couldn't boost the car."</p><p>"Man, today's just not your day, huh?" Pietro joked quietly.</p><p>"Fuck." Leorio said. The four of them slowly stepped back when the car thieves approached them in the empty parking lot of the convenience store. They had weapons in their hands, more like pipes and sticks, much like the ones thugs held around in movies. "What do we do?"</p><p>"We fight." Kurapika said. He took his chain rings out of his purse and tossed it on the floor, slipping them on and flexing his knuckles. "we need to get to the Black Whale, fast." he raised his fists in the air, him and Pairo looked at each other and nodded.</p><p>"We're seriously about to fight a bunch of car thieves on a Saturday night?" Pietro rolled his shoulders, then craned his neck from side to side. "Fuck it."</p><p>"The things we do for these kids." Leorio removed his glasses for protection, cracking his knuckles.</p><p>"Get them!" Tonpa commanded. The thugs charged at them. Kurapika dodged a swinging pipe and dug the heel of his shoe into the man to his right. Pairo did a kick flip around the men tailing him, blocking their hits and with two jabs to the face they were knocked on their asses. Pietro smashed his head into the forehead of the guy trying to swing at him with a wooden stick, dropping it to the pavement. A stiff punch in the nose sent him to the ground.</p><p>Leorio grabbed the pipe about to hit him, tugging his attacker into a chokehold. He vaguely remembered the wrestling moves his dad used to practice on him, lifting him in the air with all his might and throwing him into the garbage cans. Kurapika dropped to the ground and slid past their feet fast enough to throw them off guard, grabbing the arm of the thug to his right, keeping him locked firmly.</p><p>"Leorio!" he called after him, and Leorio took that chance to run at him and sock the thug in the teeth, hard enough for him to spit out blood. Kurapika shoved him to the ground.</p><p>"Nice one." They high-fived.</p><p>"I'd call this child's play."</p><p>If anyone were to witness the brawl going down in the parking lot, they'd feel like they're being transported to an eighties action film. Pietro and Leorio relied more on their knowledge of wrestling moves while Kurapika and Pairo were far more experienced in their fighting skills. Still, they worked together as a team, back-to-back as they took down the thugs one by one. Only bearing minor bruises and scars. They made sure to check each other's blindsides and deflect any surprise attacks.</p><p>"What the...?!" Leorio's jaw dropped when he saw the way Kurapika did backflips, cartwheels he weaponized into coordinated attacks against the thugs. How he easily leapt on top of the fence and high surfaces so effortlessly it was straight out of a video game, jumping off them to perform all these dropkicks and flurries of punches.</p><p>"Are you sure you're not from a mafia family?!"</p><p>"No, just an ordinary teacher."</p><p>"Yeah, well you fight like it's Mortal Kombat!"</p><p>"Focus!" Pietro and Pairo reminded them simultaneously, frantic. They scattered to take on how many thugs they were able to. "Also, flirt later!" Pairo added.</p><p>"We are not flirting!" Kurapika argued.</p><p>"Aw, a pocket knife? That's adorable." Pairo grabbed the thug's pocket knife, and he looked frazzled, because the intent was to stab him. He struck him with an ear clap, stunning him, then he kicked him in the stomach. The knife flew out his head and Pairo caught it in his hand, "Aaaaaand I'll take that, thank you!"</p><p>"Kurapika, this one's yours!" Leorio swerved around the thug's punch and elbowed him in the side, sending him stumbling Kurapika's direction. He just finished flipping the next one over with a single arm as he hit the floor with a cry. Scarlet eyes locked with the man heading his direction. He spun around, a flying kick sending the thug into the trash cans.</p><p>Tonpa was probably expecting their asses to get handed to them, but he's standing there jaw-dropped at how well they were handling about eight thugs trying to jump them. Definitely not on his agenda.</p><p>"Is this all you got?!" Leorio taunted them, "you can do better than that!" </p><p>"Tch," Tonpa clicked his tongue, "who the Hell are you people?"</p><p>Pairo just bodyslammed a thug face first to the ground. The sound of feet (or faces) scraping across the hard pavement, grunts of pain, rustling pipes hitting the floor, the pile of beaten-up thugs grew by the second save for the few who wanted to get up and keep fighting back. "Just two teachers, and two surgeons!" he chirped, barely breaking a sweat. "Now if you think we're gonna tell on you, don't worry. The car got towed."</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>"Yeah. And we're gonna get it back, so if you excuse us, we have someplace else to be?"</p><p>Pietro stopped his chokehold on another guy, Leorio tossed one of them away like a ragdoll.</p><p>"You can't just... ask to leave!" Tonpa said, "you owe us a car!"</p><p>"A car which is mine!" Leorio argued, "no way in Hell am I handing it over to a bunch of thieves!"</p><p>Kurapika sauntered over in Tonpa's direction. His face quickly paled. His ego shrunk the size of a pea at the very second Kurapika stood inches away from him, practically looking down on his entire being.</p><p>"I can give you anything. E-Even my life!"</p><p>"Then die." Kurapika said casually with a shrug.</p><p>"W-Wait, I'll pay you! I'm filthy rich! I'm a businessman too, y'know?"</p><p>"You could let us through." Kurapika bargained, "unless you'd like for me to do the same thing to you I just did to your entire syndicate?"</p><p>"You wouldn't hurt a little guy like me. A small little guy. I just wanted to call my boys to scare you, haha." He yelped pathetically when Kurapika tugged him by his hair, yanking his head down.</p><p>"I won't ask you again." Kurapika threatened fiercely. "We are in an emergency, so stop this nonsense and let us through."</p><p>"Okay! Okay! I'll tell my boys to leave you alone for good! We won't ever bother you again!"</p><p>Kurapika let go of his hair. He pretended to punch Tonpa in the face, instead, a gust of wind hit him as Kurapika's fist was inches away from his face. It scared Tonpa so badly he fainted.</p><p>"Alright." Kurapika said coolly. He picked up his purse and slung it over his shoulder, looking at the others like it was nothing, "Blitz street it was, yes?" he asked serenely.</p><p>Leorio gulped.</p><p>Kurapika was terrifying.</p><p>...And Leorio was <em>into </em>it.</p><p>"Wow." Pietro gawked. Pairo beamed, skipping next to Kurapika's side as they locked arms and walked toward his car. As if they didn't just oblierate a bunch of car theives a few seconds ago. "I can see why you tapped that." he told Leorio, who turned beet red. He nudged Leorio's shoulder with a wink, following the two ahead. Leorio snapped out of his daze, stumbling after them as well.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Pairo had asked who Oito was with when she called them on the phone. When Leorio said it was Melody, he told Kurapika he had to fork over a hundred Jenny which Kurapika begrudgingly handed over to him on the car ride there.</p><p>“Could we focus?” Kurapika asked when Leorio parked the car.</p><p>“I told you, they were gonna have a thing! I told you! And then you said <em>Pairo you’re insane</em>.”</p><p>“<em>Not</em> important right now!”</p><p>“Alright,” Leorio unbuckled his seatbelt. “We’ve gotta act natural. This is our only lead we have to go off of and it’s been two hours.”</p><p>They heard a couple gunshots and ducked.</p><p>“This town is<em> fucked.</em>” Pietro muttered.</p><p>They hesitantly left the car. Kurapika and Leorio were the last to leave, Pairo closing the door.</p><p><em>"WAIT!"</em> Leorio shouted, making the three of them jumped. "Kurapika don't move!"</p><p>"What?!<em> What?!</em>" Kurapika halted in his tracks.</p><p>Leorio started wildly gesturing to him, "y-your... your dress."</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>"It's stuck! On the car door!"</p><p>"Don't scare us like that!" Pairo sighed.</p><p>"Get it off." Kurapika demanded, "get it off get it off <em>fucking help me</em> get this off!"</p><p>"Okay! Okay!" Leorio scrambled over to him. Pietro muttered a Spanish curse under his breath, Pairo followed suit. "Should we, uh."</p><p>"Let's pull." Pairo said. "It should slip right out. The hem's just stuck in the car door."</p><p>"Okay. Count of three." Pietro commanded, "one... two... three... PUSH!"</p><p>"It's not pulling!"</p><p>
  <em>"Try harder!"</em>
</p><p>"You're so bossy!" Leorio barked.</p><p>"One, two, three... PUSH!" Pietro shouted again.</p><p>The force of the four of them, Kurapika included, yanked his dress hem out the car door. The fabric slipped out forcibly and they were sent tumbling to the ground like a sack of potatoes. </p><p>"Owwie." Pairo whined.</p><p>"Fuck. I think I broke my back." Leorio rasped.</p><p>"Hang in there <em>el viejo</em>," Pietro wheezed, "you're not dying yet."</p><p>"Is it ripped?!" Kurapika asked worriedly.</p><p>"No it's fine." Pairo said, "you're good."</p><p>"Oh, thank God."</p><p>"Alright. The bar." Pietro said, "we gotta get to the Black Whale."</p><p>They got up on their feet.</p><p>This was the heart of Blitz street. One of the most notorious districts in the city.</p><p>It was twice as terrifying at night. They heard shouting, dogs barking angrily, loud bangs here and there. It looked like those sketchy towns in movies with random fog coming from alleyways and people glaring them down as if they didn't belong here, groups of people hanging out had their heads snap in their direction.</p><p>"Pick up the pace." Leorio whispered, at this point they started speed-walking down the block, some guy had jumped out and barked at them and they jumped.</p><p>Kurapika muttered a Kurtan prayer under his breath. They started running.</p><p>How could anyone work in a street like this? Yorknew’s homicidal cases are rising and a child is going missing every day. Leorio just wanted to have a day with his two best friends, watch over Kurapika’s kid and his, drop Killua back to Kurapika’s house by the end of the day before his bedtime once they were well-fed and kept happy even if that meant he had to deal with seven hours of Killua tormenting him to no end and that’d be the end of it before he’s back to his nightmare shifts tomorrow.</p><p>“There’s the Black Whale.” Pietro pointed at the sign when they approached the bar, a symbol of a black whale was in fact, next to the sign.</p><p>They entered the bar.</p><p>It didn’t take a person with common sense to realize this was… a lesbian biker bar. They were stopped by a bouncer stepping in front of them when he was told to step aside. The blond woman was the intimidating bartender who looked like she could bench press everyone at this joint, them included.</p><p>“My name’s Theta.” She introduced herself.</p><p>“Morena.” Her partner had said with a smile.</p><p>“Let me guess,” Theta began, “you’re looking for the kids who were here just an hour ago?”</p><p>“Yeah…” Leorio said.</p><p>“Gunther and Kevin?”</p><p>“Excuse me, who?” Kurapika frowned.</p><p>“That’s what they told us their names were.” Morena explained.</p><p>“That’s—” Leorio shook his head, “so they were here. They were just in here. You saw kids like this tall,” he gestured to their heights.</p><p>“They left with the guy who delivers pizzas in the place a few blocks down from us.” Theta replied, “Meleoron. Do you know him?”</p><p>“We don’t.” Kurapika answered, “that’s why we’re here.”</p><p>“Oh Christ. <em>NICK</em>,” Theta shouted so sharply it made them wince. Another man wearing a Hawaiian shirt and an absurd amount of jewels came strolling out of the room at the back.</p><p>“What’s happening?” He asked, sunglasses on, nursing a colorful cocktail in his hand.</p><p>“Those kids we told you about, these are their parents. The ones you said we should wait for in case they show up.”</p><p>“Oh yeah.” <em>Nick</em>, supposedly that was his name, approached them with grace. “Those kids decimated our regulars at pool. They said they were twelve. Which one of you’s the parent?”</p><p>“Me.” Leorio and Kurapika said at the same time, looking at each other. “We— we both are,” Kurapika said, “there was… a mishap earlier this afternoon. Now we’re trying to find them.”</p><p>“I think you should relax. You’re not even dressed. The theme’s tropical.” He pointed at the dress code written in chalk, “if you’re not dressed like it’s a day out on the beach, you’re underdressed.”</p><p>“You must be wearing appropriate attire to sail at the Black Whale.” Morena said, holding up a set of Hawaiian shirts. “What can we serve you?”</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, they were dressed in ridiculous tropical accessories over their actual clothing and nursing tropical themed drinks.</p><p>"Oito mentioned the kids would be at this place.” Leorio mentioned. “I believe we haven’t met?”</p><p>“Tserriednich,” Tserriednich responded, “here, I’m Nick. Tell her it’s been a while. I heard she works at a hospital.”</p><p>“She’s one of my nurses.”</p><p>“Time flies.”</p><p>“As much as we’d love to… chit-chat,” Kurapika said, “you said you’d tell us why the children were here, at a bar like this? Late at night? We must find them as soon as possible.”</p><p>“Ah.” Tserriednich hummed, “so they mentioned to Morena and Theta that they crashed a car and were on the run from the police for stealing candy from a store. Claimed the pizza delivery man was their dad, and walked right out with him.”</p><p>“No, no, I’m their dad.” Leorio pointed at himself, “the car they crashed was mine.”</p><p>“That’s the story they gave us.” Theta said. “They came in and asked for orange juice, and were being all secretive about it. One of them had to go to the bathroom, then they played pool with our regulars. They ran off before we could ask anymore questions.”</p><p>“Is this pizza place still open?”</p><p>“Should be. The guys working there come in to ask for beers after their shifts around this time.” Tserriednich said. “So, there’s your best bet. In case you’re wondering if they’re in a van being kidnapped as we speak.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Leorio said.</p><p>"Wait." Tserriednich stopped them, and they froze, turning around. He waved a hand, beckoning for them to come closer. "...you're just gonna leave without spending time with us?"</p><p>"We're in a hurry..." Kurapika said.</p><p>"Policy here is that you do at least one vacation activity with us on this ship." He pointed at the stage, "our previous customers played pool with us. Your turn to get on up there and sing for us."</p><p>"Excuse me?"</p><p>"You gotta sing." Theta repeated, "if you're sailing the Black Whale, you sing the whale song."</p><p>Salkov ushered them on the stage where the women stopped playing their live music.</p><p>"What the fuck do we do?" Pietro hissed.</p><p>"Just go along with it." Leorio muttered, "they won't let us outta here unless we do what they ask. Kurapika?"</p><p>"Why do I have to sing?"</p><p>"You're the best singer out of all us!" Pairo smacked his arm, "so start the boing!" </p><p>Kurapika coughed. The whole bar got quiet, staring at them. He stepped in front of the mic, as there was three other vacant mics for the other three to stand by. He smiled. The musicians on stage were waiting on them.</p><p>"Hi," he said, "my name's Kurapika Kurta."</p><p>The guitar suddenly cut in and made him jump. The woman winked at him, telling him to keep going. "I live in Yorknew city, I'm a teacher. These are my friends. Pietro, Pairo, and Leorio." another guitar riff, "...and we just lost our kids."</p><p>"Ain't no doubt about it!" Pairo exclaimed.</p><p>"Pairo and I dropped the kids off at Leorio's. We were having a spa day. Then Leorio and Pietro told us they went missing," there's a guitar riff between each pause, "now I'm at a biker bar, the four of us here singing." The rhyme came so naturally, Kurapika felt a little more comfortable improvising a song on the spot, "and it's so hard."</p><p>"And it's so hard!" The women joined in ceremoniously.</p><p>"Trying to find these kids!"</p><p><em>"Trying to find these kids</em>!"</p><p>The beat started to pick up slowly, the drums settling in. "They've got the, babysitting blues!" the women chorused, the guitars and the drums worked together smoothly in tandem.</p><p>"They stole a car, a nice fancy Mercedes, and crashed into a store." Kurapika continued.</p><p>"They fought with a car thief," Leorio added into the mic, "and then he got away."</p><p>"We met a couple guys at the police station," Pietro said, "they said the kids stole candy from them."</p><p>"Now we've dragged our ass around town, trying to find them." Kurapika finished.</p><p>"And it's so hard!"</p><p>"So hard!"</p><p>The audience whistled, impressed as they started to get loud again. They sang, "they've got the babysitting blues!" Theta, Morena, Salkov, and Tserriednich nodding their heads along to the beat of the music. </p><p>"Let's hope they're not dead." </p><p>"'Cause they should be in bed."</p><p>"They've got the babysitting blues!"</p><p>"Baby, baby," Pietro, Leorio, and Pairo chorused in backup.</p><p>"You'll find 'em sometime soon." The women crooned into the mic, the four found themselves swaying along to the cheery tune. The crowd went wild when the song had ended, an instrumental fading into a single guitar solo once the drums had stopped.</p><p>Pairo was basking in the fame but Kurapika had to tug him off the stage. The audience pampering them with more fancy drinks, shoving it in their hands and throwing lei around their necks to bid them farewell.</p><p>They left the bar in a hurry, excusing themselves with their coconut drinks in their hands like it was a day on the beach when it was only seventy degree weather steadily dropping around this time of night.</p><p>"That was... eventful." Pietro sighed out.</p><p>"Tell me about it." Pairo agreed.</p><p>“Hey, Kurapika.” Leorio tossed his drink out in the nearest dumpster. The chirping crickets heard screeching into the night.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I’m… really sorry that all of this happened.”</p><p>“Good thing my parent instincts kicked in, because I was worried all morning.” Kurapika laughed, “what do you know, I have something to worry about.”</p><p>“But this isn’t… probably how you wanted to spend your weekend. Running around town to find our missing fucking kids, who took my <em>car</em>. Almost dying because of a bunch of car theives, and don't forget singing a song about babysitting to an entire bar dressed up like it's a day on the beach.” If he told this day to anyone they'd think he's tripping on drugs.</p><p>“Can we really put this past them?” Kurapika asked, taking off the silly sunglasses that looked adorable on him.</p><p>“No.” Leorio sighed, “<em>still</em>, this is fucking unbelievable.”</p><p>“I got the location.” Pietro said. He’s wearing a straw hat and it looked hilarious on him.</p><p>“Well what are we waiting for?” Pairo said, and they followed him into his car.</p><p>They got a phone call mid-driving. Kurapika’s phone was ringing this time. They looked at each other, Kurapika seeing it was an unknown number that flashed on the screen. He picked up the phone, everyone leaning in.</p><p>
  <em>“Hi Mr. Kurta!” </em>
</p><p>Kurapika gasped, “Gon?!”</p><p>
  <em>“I’m using Killua’s phone to call you!”</em>
</p><p>“He has a <em>phone?</em>” Pietro asked.</p><p>“I didn’t know he still had one, actually.” Leorio said. “Those kids have everything.”</p><p><em>“Oh, thank God.” </em>Kurapika saved the phone number immediately, this might’ve just made their night a whole lot easier. “Killua? Are you there?”</p><p><em>“We’re in a car helping Mr. Meleoron deliver pizzas.” </em>Killua answered. <em>“He just dropped our friends off, though. We figured we’d call you and tell you now because you’d probably freak out.”</em></p><p>“Freak out?!” Leorio snatched the phone from Kurapika, “we’ve been looking <em>all around town </em>for you guys! For hours! You got my car towed! Why did you wait until now to call us?!”</p><p>
  <em>“I forgot.”</em>
</p><p>“You forgot?!” Kurapika had to calm Leorio down before he popped a vein.</p><p><em>“You were taking too long to get our bagel bites. So Gon and I hacked into the garage and took the car.” </em>Killua said casually, <em>“we got McDonald’s instead. But some stupid thief tried to steal your car and crashed it. So we left.”</em></p><p>“We just left the Black Whale. They mentioned you left with the pizza guy.” Pietro said, “is he with you right now?”</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, he is! He’s really nice! He knows we’re on the run because Killua stole candy, and we didn’t wanna get in trouble, so we asked if we can stay with him to deliver pizzas!”</em>
</p><p>“Where are you currently?” Kurapika asked.</p><p><em>“Uh, we just finished making a delivery!” </em>Gon said.</p><p>“We should wait at the pizza place.” Pairo stated. “It’ll save us the time and energy now that we know they’re safe.”</p><p><em>“Don’t worry! Mr. and Mr. Paladiknight! The kids are with me!” </em>Meleoron shouted through the line. <em>"My friend Ikalgo's also there! He can keep you guys company!"</em></p><p>Kurapika and Leorio flushed, “<em>M-Mister</em>—” they sputtered.</p><p>“Can you drop them back at the pizza shop?!” Pietro asked, ignoring their flustered faces, taking the phone from Leorio. “We’re headed there just now!”</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, sure thing! I asked them to give you a call because I figured you’d be worried sick!”</em>
</p><p>“How many deliveries do you have left?”</p><p>
  <em>“Just one more!”</em>
</p><p>Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Pairo took them to the pizza shop. Another man with a beanie hat was there to welcome them.</p><p>"Are you Mr. and Mr. Paladiknight?" Ikalgo asked.</p><p>"Um," Leorio laughed, he and Kurapika blushed, "we're not. Uh. We're not actually together... Killua's their kid and their teacher and Gon's my kid."</p><p>"We're friends!" Kurapika blurted, "it's nothing like that."</p><p>"Oh, they talked about you guys like you were both their parents." Ikalgo frowned, "so you're separated?"</p><p>"We're not divorced either." Leorio scratched his cheek, "literally we just work together. Currently."</p><p>"Can we wait inside here?" Pietro asked impatiently, "sorry to be rude, but we've been haulin' ass all around the city and frankly we just wanna sit somewhere until your friend comes back."</p><p>"Sure! Sorry, I wanted to make sure you guys were legit... haha..." Ikalgo urged them to come inside and sit down at the tables. Ikalgo told them Meleoron claimed that he was about to close soon after he finished up his last batch of deliveries to different houses in the neighborhood. So they could wait at the shop for him to come back, and he offered them free pizzas on the house for all the <em>Hell </em>they went through tonight.</p><p>“Hanzo called.” Kurapika sat down next to Leorio. “The car’s done.”</p><p>Leorio crossed his chest, <em>“gracias a dios,”</em> he whispered. “No bad damages?”</p><p>“No. All ready to be picked up.”</p><p>“We can go there after Meleoron drops off the kids.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“He said wait about fifteen minutes to finish up his last delivery.” Pietro told them, “sit tight. It’ll be a bit of a wait.”</p><p>The wait was agonizing. Pairo was talking about other things to relieve the tension, until the doors opened and Meleoron showed up with Killua and Gon.</p><p>“Baba…”</p><p>“Daddy!”</p><p>Leorio was there to lift Gon in his arms when he ran into them. Killua’s eyes shimmered when he spotted Kurapika. Their reunion was much more tranquil, as he was standing there frozen. Kurapika kneeled down and drew Killua into an embrace. All of them were in the same variation of outfits the patrons of the Black Whale forced them into and it was evidence that they were there recently.</p><p>“Oh, my baby. There’s my <em>troublemaker</em>,” he whispered in his ear. “This is the second time tonight you’ve gone missing.”</p><p>“We didn’t think it’d be that much of a big deal.” Killua pouted, he hugged Kurapika back nonetheless. “Sorry…”</p><p>“I don’t want to have to take away your privileges to stay at Mr. Paladiknight’s house, do I?” Kurapika asked when he parted from Killua.</p><p>“We just wanted bagel bites.”</p><p>“And the trouble we went through just to get you back for that isn’t worth it.”</p><p>"Are those my sunglasses?!" Leorio pointed at the sunglasses on top of Killua's head.</p><p>"Maybe." Killua smirked smugly.</p><p>"Stop stealing my things, will you?!"</p><p>“It was fun!” Gon went on to explain to the rest of them, “we got McDonald’s, played pool with those girls at that drinking place, and then Meleoron took us to deliver pizzas!”</p><p>“Sounds like you guys went on quite the adventure.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“An adventure that’s going to give me a hernia. We had to <em>sing</em> for this.” Leorio muttered.</p><p>"And we fought a bunch of bad guys!" Pairo said, "it was <em>so</em> cool." Gon and Killua's eyes sparkled.</p><p>"Like an action movie?!"</p><p>"Even better!"</p><p>“Forget that! You kids can’t just run off whenever you want without adults around! You’re too young! Anything could’ve happened!” Leorio scolded.</p><p>“But we were fine.” Gon blinked. “Plus, Killua knew how to drive a car.”</p><p>“He shouldn’t have!”</p><p>Killua stuck his tongue out at Leorio, “next time, get us bagel bites earlier.”</p><p>“Why you little—”</p><p>“So, those pizzas!” Meleoron interrupted, “one for the babysitting club! On the house! Just give me… another thirty minutes, okay?”</p><p>“Pizza!” Gon cheered.</p><p>“It’s on the house.” Pietro convinced Leorio, “you can’t turn down free pizzas.”</p><p>“It’s almost midnight.”</p><p>“We take the pizzas and go, then.”</p><p>“Alright. Fine.”</p><p>"Wait! Before you go!" Meleoron said, "how about I take a photo? You guys look stylish!"</p><p>"They need to go to bed." Kurapika said.</p><p>"Yeah, it's super late..." Leorio chuckled.</p><p>"Aw, I want a picture..." Gon pouted, "picture! Picture!"</p><p>"You heard them." Pairo said. "I mean, I do like this lei a lot. Makes me feel like we actually went on a vacation."</p><p>Pietro handed Meleoron his phone. "What the Hell. Take a couple."</p><p>They huddled together. Ikalgo coaxed them to pose instead of standing there like gnomes, so they did. Everyone except Kurapika had goofy smiles on their faces and ridiculous poses while he kept his generic, but he still blended in with them nonetheless. Soon, they got him to start smiling more.</p><p>"Perfect!" Meleoron said, "now you have something to remember tonight with."</p><p>"Alright, let's take these pizzas." Leorio said, "c'mon, kids."</p><p>They left with the pizza boxes as soon as Ikalgo handed them over. Killua and Gon said goodbye to Ikalgo and Meleoron, claiming that if they were ever nearby they should drop by for their pizzas. Pietro said he’d be going home with Pairo, who was willing to drop Killua and Gon off at the house because Zepile was impatiently waiting at Leorio’s place… which the texts he’d been sending Leorio started piling up when Pairo dropped them off at Hanzo’s.</p><p>He called Zepile to tell him to hold his fucking horses, they found the damn kids already. But he wasn’t allowed to leave until they came back, that was his punishment for letting them run off in the first place.</p><p><em>“Well hurry it up.” </em>He demanded, <em>“I got shit to do, too. I know you’re out there trying to get laid and all, but so am I! I don’t have time to wait around in your fancy house for eight hours while you play babysitting!”</em></p><p>“I’m not trying to get lai—” Leorio turned away from Kurapika as he talked with Hanzo, “This is a serious situation! So just give me a few more minutes. Okay? This is your fault this happened, anyway. At least be a little more appreciative!”</p><p>
  <em>“Thirty more minutes. Then I’m out of here. I get it, I owe you one and I said I’m sorry.”</em>
</p><p>“Just wait at the house. Pete’s droppin’ the kids off with Pairo. So you won’t be lonely. I’ll be back soon. Kurapika and I just need to pick up the car.”</p><p>That seemed to calm Zepile down, and he hung up the phone.</p><p>“Hey.” Hanzo reached out an open palm, “three-fifty or no car. We made a deal.”</p><p>Leorio handed him the money. Hanzo presented the car, perfectly in-tact in the garage. Leorio didn’t know the damages before, but it looked untouched, and brand new. Which meant that they did a good job on it. He drove this car to work and was glad that it didn’t look like a shitty piece of junk since it only ran into a few garbage cans.</p><p>Kurapika offered to hold the pizza boxes for him as they got into his car. His house had a full party, and honestly, Leorio was exhausted to go inside just yet and deal with the chaos. They’re sure Pairo wanted to stay and chit-chat with the kids and Zepile with Pietro before they left.</p><p>“Holy fuck.” Leorio leaned back against the car seat. He and Kurapika laughed. Kurapika doing the same, the pizza boxes sitting in the trunk. “This was the craziest night of my life.”</p><p>“An unforgettable one, at that.”</p><p>“I can’t believe this happened.”</p><p>"I had fun." Kurapika confessed, and Leorio looked at him incredulously. "I know it sounds silly... just... it felt different. When it was just the four of us together, out there."</p><p>"I was thinking the same thing too." Leorio said, "that's the best fun I ever had in years."</p><p>"I'd have to say the same."</p><p>They smiled at each other.</p><p>“I-I’ll take one of the pizza boxes?” Kurapika offered, averting the topic shyly, “and you take the other?”</p><p>“Fuck, sure. Just give me a second.” Leorio exhaled, “all that runnin’ around’s making my arthritis flare up.”</p><p>“You poor thing.” Kurapika opened the car door, “I’ll pick up both then.”</p><p>“No, no! I can do it!”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“Yeah! One box isn’t all that heavy.”</p><p>Kurapika giggled, “okay.”</p><p>“Stop laughing!”</p><p>“No— it’s just— I see why Killua calls you an old man now. You’re well on your way.”</p><p>“<em>Shaddup</em>, I’ll be forty in a few years. Next will be Alzheimer’s, and no one will be laughing.”</p><p>“Oh, stop.”</p><p>“My grandpa has it already! Pretty sure my dad’s showin’ signs of it too.”</p><p>Their bickering led up to Leorio’s place, where the kids were happy to see that their pizzas were here. Kurapika told them to heat it up because it was already cold by now before they ate it. Pairo wanted to stay longer, because he enjoyed talking with Pietro and Zepile. Kurapika was tired, too, and wanted to relax. So they stayed for an extra hour past midnight eating pizza and talking about the whole ordeal. Zepile was shocked to hear that they fought car theives, as that was the part of the night he surely wasn't expecting. Turned out the kids had the run in with Tonpa <em>after </em>they left McDonald's, and they gave him a good knuckle sandwich too. Kurapika and Leorio high-fived them for that.</p><p>“Shouldn’t you two be in bed?” Kurapika asked teasingly.</p><p>“You’re gonna leave soon.” Gon pouted. "We wanna spend time with you until you leave!"</p><p>“And? You’ll see me at school.”</p><p>“We want you and dad to kiss.”</p><p>Zepile, Pietro, and Pairo laughed. Kurapika and Leorio turned beet red.</p><p>“You little troublemakers…” Leorio clicked his tongue, “Mr. Kurta and I aren’t going to do that.”</p><p>“But you obviously like each other. You said you were going to make them fall in love with you.”</p><p>“T-That was…” Leorio scratched the back of his head, “w-well…”</p><p>Kurapika tried not to laugh, a hand covering his mouth.</p><p>“An oh-so beautiful deceleration of love?” Pairo asked, smirking evilly.</p><p>“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Gon chanted. Killua was smirking as well.</p><p>“Alright.” Kurapika leaned in. Leorio froze in his seat, his cheeks reddened when Kurapika inched toward his lap and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The kids cheered, their friends whooped and hollered and Leorio looked like he was on the verge of fainting.</p><p>“Pairo.” Kurapika grabbed his bag, “let’s go.”</p><p>“Yes sir!” Pairo shot up, “Zepile, you want a ride with us?”</p><p>“Sure.” Zepile said, “but you mind giving me a kiss goodbye too, Kurapika?”</p><p>“Get the heck outta my house!” Leorio barked, cheeks still red as a tomato. He shooed them all out of his house, Killua and Gon still laughing that he was so flustered over the kiss. The way Kurapika did it so <em>easily</em> and it still gave him butterflies like he was a teenager with a bad crush, as if they hadn’t done this dance many times before. It really did feel like falling in love over again after the spark had died once a long time ago.</p><p>“Oh, and Sunshine!” He called after Kurapika, who turned around with a hopeful glance. “Thanks, for helping me find the kids today.”</p><p>“You helped me find Killua when I needed the help.” Kurapika said, waving, “consider this as me repaying you the same favor.”</p><p>“I’ll drop Killua off at your place tomorrow morning.”</p><p>Kurapika smiled, “goodnight, Mr. Leorio.”</p><p>“Goodnight, Sunshine…” Leorio smiled, lopsided.</p><p>When he closed the door and looked back at the couch, he saw the empty plates and pizza boxes on the table and the exhaustion hit him at full force.</p><p>The night was over.</p><p>Leorio was kind of disappointed. As stressful as it was, he got to be side by side with Kurapika and was reminded of the joys of his youth when he got into similar shenanigans with Pietro. Getting into fight with thugs, crashing bars, getting pizza as late night comfort food... he missed it, before he lost all of that to long hospital shifts, sweaty scrubs, and exhaustion. He still had this dumb Hawaiian shirt Morena dressed him up in, and he wanted to keep it as a memoir to remind him of this special night.</p><p>It's not often you get to be young like this.</p><p>Killua and Gon passed out eventually, though. Leorio scooped them up in both his arms and took them upstairs to Gon’s room, lifting the covers over them. Pietro sent him the photos they took at the pizza place. He chuckled to himself. A crazy night indeed, but it was <em>magical</em>. If he could rewind time and do it over again, he would in a heartbeat if it meant seeing Kurapika smile so freely.</p><p>Leorio took a tired selfie once he got the kids in bed, sending it off to Kurapika. He hoped by now they were home.</p><p><strong>Leorio [1:30 A.M]: </strong>finally put the gremlins to bed.</p><p>And then his phone chimed, and his heart skipped a beat.</p><p><strong>Mi Sol 🌞 [1:34 A.M]: </strong>Now I can rest peacefully.</p><p><strong>Mi Sol 🌞 [1:34 A.M]: </strong>[img]</p><p><strong>Mi Sol 🌞 [1:34 A.M]: </strong>goodnight, Mr. Leorio.</p><p>He had up the peace sign, still wearing his straw hat and lei as well with a small, rare smile on his face. Since Kurapika had barely smiled in most photos.</p><p>Leorio practically melted.</p><p>He’s gotta win them back.</p><p>One of these days.</p><p>He didn’t think he could wait until the month was over, as it was already terribly agonizing.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Could you tell Youpi was my favorite chimera ant... or... anyway</p><p>OKAY JSNDKDNS the fits bc i thought everyone's look was iconique: <b><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/5d/13/38/5d13386c9bd316bfc8aab75a080c800b.jpg">kurapika</a></b> // <b><a href="https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/H77817c08e4044f688f7a2ee1527f96eeE.jpg">pairo</a></b> // leorio <b><a href="https://sc04.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1XgnxMVXXXXb4XVXXq6xXFXXXY.jpg">top</a></b> + <b><a href="https://img.ltwebstatic.com/images3_pi/2020/03/18/1584514056cd392f9650d0435ef821a4f13931f899_thumbnail_600x.webp">bottom</a></b> + <b><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61d9jWxM8vL._AC_UL1000_.jpg">the snapback he wore (LOL)</a></b> // <b><a href="https://cdn.famousoutfits.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/collections/summer-outfits/summer-outfits-19.jpg">pietro</a></b> i thought having them all wear casual summer/spring outfits would be cool... if you are interested, you're welcome. ;)</p><p>Cállate la boca. = shut up</p><p>Tienes huevos = you got balls</p><p>Chico rudo... te gusta mucho panocha = tough guy. you really like <s>coochie</s></p><p>No pensé que tan lejos! = I didn't think that far.</p><p>Tienes que estar bromeando = you've gotta be kidding me </p><p>Te mataré, hijo de puta = I'll kill you, son of a bitch</p><p>Ay dios mio, dios me dé fuerzas = oh my God, God give me strength</p><p>Gracias a dios = Thank God</p><p>El viejo = old man</p><p>Thank you Adri my love for translations.</p><p>Man all these two do is fuck and lie like they ain't have feelings. Get over yourselves. I'm gonna blue ball yall until the month long wait is over so until then, we ain't gettin no kissy. For now, have cheek kiss.</p><p>Next chapter: sports competition arc? anyone? sports competition :)</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. systemic and pulmonary; divided, but together we are one</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the Yorknew Sports Festival has arrived! Tensions are high during the time of the sports competition where students and teachers come together to compete in several different games. Summer in Yorknew is here, and Leorio plots his confession to Kurapika as the final week of the school year fastly approaches.</p><p>There's only five days left, all's fair in love and war, and the fight for love begins!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i had a bit of trouble with this chapter skjfnjgknksf but i managed to get it still done in time. sorry im still coping with the fact that this is almost done in literally two chapters (a finale + an epilogue-ish thing or whatever the fuck, ig) and like what the fuck. those of you who have been there since day one, just wanna say i love you and THANK YOU for being the reason im still writing this fic seriously!! i have a busy college semester in tow and im working on another fic for the HXH big bang event (it's a freaky friday au!!!) so im juggling a TON and it's been the literal WORST... one thing i can relate to with leorio is premed struggles. another thing, being a yearning fucking idiot for your son's teacher.</p><p>but anyways, i also had a BLAST writing this chapter. please enjoy. i have worked my ass off on this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>June had arrived.</p><p>Something about the end of the school year brought the absolute inner <em>ape shit </em>out of everyone— because observations were over, it was time to unleash.</p><p>The prank wars commenced.</p><p>Every June as unspoken, common tradition— students and staff of Yorknew elementary and middle school scheme on an all out war of non-stop pranking. Every man for themselves. This meant chickens in the principal’s office, cars getting toilet papered, whoopies cushions on chairs. The best of the best competed against each other for their master pranking skills. Every year, they’d up the ante and see who could pull off the most mind blowing prank of the year.</p><p>And everyone was in on it. Netero included, who was happily endorsing the chaos.</p><p>Bisky and Cheadle pulled the good old <em>we're resigning </em>prank during a faculty meeting and threw them in for a loop. Danny DeVito cardboard cutouts were randomly placed around the hall. Pictures of a shirtless Netero at some weightlifting competition plastered all over the walls for everyone to gawk at in utter confusion. Feitan unscrewing chairs for the poor unfortunate soul to fall over, Shalnark changing the school website to <em>Nyan Cat </em>for a full twenty-four hours, then Lucia suggested rickrolling the entire faculty instead.</p><p>That one earned an e-mail from angry parents, still utterly hilarious even if it was unprofessional as it was far too late in terms of an April Fools joke. And then there was Pairo being an ass and putting fake spiders in Kurapika’s drawer knowing he’d open it to pick up a pencil and find a couple in there, proceeding to <em>lose his shit</em>. (He learned his lesson when he placed a very real Tarantula in there once) As for Kurapika, he often preferred the classic banana peel trick he planted in Chrollo’s classroom so he could take pleasure in watching him slip.</p><p>(Pairo wasn’t entertained watching Kurapika cackle at the way some passing teachers rushed over to help Chrollo because he’d slipped for the umpeneenth time he used the banana peel trick, and told Pairo to come and watch it happen. “Seriously, Pika, prank channels can come up with shit better than this. And that’s setting the bar very low.” Pairo deadpanned. “This will <em>never </em>not be hilarious.” Kurapika defended.)</p><p>So he wasn’t very creative with pranks, and that’s fine. It’s that time of year where their bosses were cutting them slack, as they were probably dying to give themselves a bit of a break too. The hardest parts of the school year was over, so Netero had called them to a <em>farewell </em>party in the conference room after school hours— they had a total of two, one which Kurapika had missed because he was busy wrangling himself out of an assault charge. A <em>pre-farewell </em>party as he liked to call it to commemorate them for making it halfway through the school year and a final one before the term ended. There’s not much of a difference between the two, except they could finally congratulate their progress for how long they’ve been working together as a team and would have to come back and do the same the next year— in case no one couldn’t take it anymore and decided to quit.</p><p>Employees came and went, but Kurapika saw himself here for the long-term. He thought otherwise a couple years ago, a first-year teacher and losing his mind over classroom supplies and if he planned out his day too soon or ahead of time. But it took time, warming up, but this year… something was special about it— something that made it stand out unlike the others.</p><p>...And it was the students of Room 102, the most eccentric, <em>chaotic</em>, loudest set of students that came crashing in like a monster truck full of constant surprises, ups and downs, twists and turns, but they carved some sort of happiness for Kurapika— reminding him that he wasn’t doing something <em>meaningless </em>with his life after he left home after all.</p><p>“Man it’s HOT,” Uvogin was sweating bullets when they were all on their way to the staff room. Lately, windows needed to be opened, fans lifted from one classroom to the next because the AC kept breaking on and off and maintenance was doing the best they could to keep it up and running.</p><p>“That’s because you spent two hours teaching children how to play flag football.” Pakunoda smacked his sweaty chest, “you should be used to it.” Everyone’s showing a little bit of skin as professionally appropriate because of how hot it was outside, the sun was practically glaring its heat into the halls.</p><p>“That’s what makes it worse!” Phinks said, “the gym never gets any AC and we’ve been begging ‘em to fix that shit for months but they said they can’t do anything about it, bullshit.”</p><p>“How hot is it out?” Shalnark used his shirt to fan himself.</p><p>“Ninety five.” Shizuku checked her phone, and she’s completely fine unlike the rest of them.</p><p>“We had to move band practice outside because they complained the auditorium was too hot,” Melody said, “it didn’t do much, sadly.”</p><p>“They gotta fix those fucking AC’s.” Machi grumbled, “they expect us to die out here?”</p><p>“AC’s not comin’ back until next week.” Basho said, everyone groaned.</p><p>“We’re not gonna last until then!”</p><p>“Thank God I got spare deodorant on me, because I can’t handle smelling musty.” Pairo patted his bag, and Kurapika snorted, rolling his eyes. He heard a scream when they entered the lounge, and everyone leapt back at the sheer <em>monstrosity </em>they just saw <em>slither </em>across the floor. Greenish-bluish scales, a tail, and <em>gangly </em>looking.</p><p>They scattered to a corner of the room so fast, knocking some chairs and items over in the process.</p><p>“Is that—” Kurapika’s eyes widened.</p><p>“—a <em>SNAKE?!”</em></p><p>
  <em>“What the fuck?!”</em>
</p><p>“Oh, Princess!” Kite poked his head in the room. They watched in horror as he strolled over to the snake and <em>scooped </em>up said thing in his arms like he was cradling a newborn. Its small, void eyes unblinking as it curled around him. “There you are!”</p><p>“Dude! What the fuck is that?!” Phinks asked.</p><p>“Sorry.” Kite laughed, “I should’ve reminded you guys I brought my pet snake to school.”</p><p>“Y-Your pet <em>what </em>now?” Machi asked.</p><p>“Her name’s Princess, isn’t she adorable?” Princess hissed at them, and Kite cooed at her. He took out a lollipop, unwrapping it and hovering it over her mouth, and she lapped at it with her serpentine tongue.</p><p>Feitan walked in, and frowned at everyone at the corner of the room. “Why’s everyone pissing their pants? I heard it from all the way down the hall.”</p><p>“Kite brought his fucking <em>lizard </em>to school, that’s what.” Pakunoda said.</p><p>“Jeez, first your komodo dragon and now this?” Feitan wasn’t even surprised, “keep those things on a leash.”</p><p>“They don’t like leashes.” Kite said, “but they do like fresh air.”</p><p>“Why bring it <em>here</em>?” Phinks asked, “keep ‘em in a fucking cage!”</p><p>“Netero said I could!”</p><p>“Hey guys—” Nobunaga walked in, “<em>Jesus fucking Christ</em>—” he stumbled back and fell on his ass in the process.</p><p>“Princess says hi.” Kite smiled.</p><p>“Kite brought his snake to school.” Kurapika told a very baffled Nobunaga, everyone was too frazzled to take their seats, but as they noticed Princess held no actual harmful intent toward them— they hesitantly did so. The only people who asked to pet her were Shizuku, Melody, and Basho. Kite told them she was an anaconda, to be specific, and it didn’t help the situation any better. When he sat with them sometimes she’d get a little feisty and they’d all jump back.</p><p>“So,” Pairo wiggled his eyebrows, “it’s June.”</p><p>“Clearly.” Kurapika whipped his setting fan he took out his purse.</p><p>“It’s almost the end of the year!”</p><p>“And?”</p><p>“LP didn’t pop the big question yet?”</p><p>Kurapika flushed, “h-he didn’t…”</p><p>“When do you think he’s gonna do it? Maybe it’ll be in private, somewhere romantic, like a fancy date? Or at his house, or at your house… maybe even here! It could happen anywhere!”</p><p>They haven’t spoken about it directly since Leorio had even made the proposition. Kurapika still thought it was silly, and he didn’t doubt that he wouldn’t ask Kurapika again before the year ended. But it was June, and he was growing a little anxious that they’ve been going about their lives and Leorio didn’t ask him a single thing about it. What if he was planning to drop the whole thing? Maybe he thought Kurapika no longer wanted to go out with him?</p><p>From his point of view… Kurapika said he wasn’t sure if he wanted to wait until Leorio was completely sure he’d be ready. There was no set date. Just <em>by the end of the month</em>. By <em>June</em>. June was here, damn it.</p><p>What’s that stupid handsome doctor thinking? What kind of master plan did he have up his sleeve?</p><p>Kurapika groaned. “You think he forgot about it?”</p><p>“He can’t! You can’t do an awesome declaration of love like that and just flake! It’s like a blood oath! He <em>has </em>to follow through.”</p><p>“Realistically, is a month enough time at all?”</p><p>“I’ll have to make you two kiss myself if I have to stand another second of this soap opera between you two.”</p><p>Franklin came in with a single large cooler. Everyone sighed happily when he dropped them by the door.</p><p>“Morel sent these.” he said, “have at it. He’s coming with the fan.” Since the other one had broken, too.</p><p>They scrambled for the cooler, opening it to find fresh bottles of water sitting inside blocks of ice to keep them cool for the day. The water vapor from the coldness was like heaven to them. Phinks poured the water on himself before taking a sip, some of them placed it on their heads to cool themselves off. Kurapika wanted to savor every last drop of this water, so he took small sips, containing himself from gulping the entire thing in one go. Pairo poured some into his hand and wet himself with it, practically moaning in satisfaction.</p><p>They applauded in triumph when Morel came in with the fan. A big and better one he got plugged up in the room, even got his hair tied up and was in a short-sleeved shirt, different from his usual suits because it was far too hot to wear those.</p><p>“Let me know if there’s any problems.” He gave them a thumbs-up.</p><p>“Please tell me the AC is gonna get fixed sooner.” Shalnark said, “I can feel myself melting.”</p><p>“Sorry, but it’s gonna take a while.” Morel replied, and they groaned. “Everyone in the damn city’s usin’ their electricity and with the AC on full blast the whole day it’s bound to blow a fuse when it’s usin’ so much energy.”</p><p>“<em>Ugh</em>.” Pairo said, “jumping into a freezing cold lake sounds good right now.”</p><p>“Or a pool.” Pakunoda agreed.</p><p>“There’s plenty of water.” Morel smacked the cooler, “we’ll come with more later. Just deal with this for now.” Some of them were already stepping in front of the fan to cool themselves down.</p><p>A lot of the faculty members dropped in to take water and sit in the room for a bit to cool themselves down, to the point where they’d finished all the water in the cooler. Kite was letting them pet Princess, as a treat, Kurapika wasn’t going to touch that thing no matter how friendly she appeared. But Pairo worked past his fears and touched her, claiming that she was nice. Still not enough to convince him.</p><p>“Phinks!” Machi shouted when he grabbed the fan and lifted it up.</p><p>“Check out this autotune,” Phinks said, and proceeded to sing into the fan pretending it was a microphone, “babygirl, what’s your name? Let me talk to you, lemme buy you a drank!”</p><p>Everyone busted out laughing.</p><p>Kurapika was going to miss this.</p><p>The year was ending so soon.</p><p>Leorio… he thought, <em>won’t you just hurry up and catch me already? </em></p><p>He sent Leorio a video of their antics, happily recording his co-workers who’d shove their faces in the camera. He also sent a spontaneous selfie he took with Pairo.</p><p><em>A very brutally hot summer day well-spent here before we’re back to teaching demonic children. </em>He texted, <em>how’s your afternoon going?</em></p><p>Leorio sent a selfie back. This time, he’s with another patient. He mentioned his name was <em>Kiryu</em>, or something, but they’re both putting up the peace sign.</p><p><strong>LP 💕🩺 [12:21 P.M]: </strong>we had like ten heatstroke cases today, so, pretty hot. Heh.</p><p>“We just got another delivery,” Palm walked in with Bisky, boxes of water in their hands, before Bisky put down the boxes and asked them to put in the cooler they left their chairs like feral animals and they screamed as they ran for the water. Even if it was warm and wasn’t sitting in a cooler for three fucking hours, they’ll take it.</p><p>There was nothing like summer in Yorknew city.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Amidst the pranking and practical jokes, there was one thing that made June special.</p><p>Little did they know this morning was, if not, one of the <em>many </em>shenanigans to come.</p><p>Kurapika made the mistake of forgetting to tell Leorio about school tradition shenanigans, because he’d walked in one morning— and Kurapika felt like the air was <em>off</em>. It was meant to be an ordinary morning, all it took was someone to pull the trigger. A second passed so excruciatingly slow.</p><p>Gon and Killua felt it too.</p><p>“So they raised the prices of the newspapers this morning when I checked!” Leorio casually went on, blissfully unaware of the shift in mood.</p><p>“It’s beginning.” Killua said ominously.</p><p>“Anyways,” Leorio continued speaking about the piss poor marketing of daily newspapers.</p><p>Kurapika saw a glimpse of a water balloon somewhere in the crowd.</p><p>“Leorio.” his face paled, “run.”</p><p>“Haha, what?”</p><p>“Get in the classroom!” Kurapika commanded. All the kids retreated into the classroom, the hall quickly dispersed and those who knew about the impending war armed themselves with their weapons.</p><p>Water spurted from water guns and water balloons were flying across the air left and right, hitting people.</p><p>“What the fuck?!” Leorio gawked. “What’s going on?!”</p><p>“Get down!” Kurapika leapt to the floor for cover, leaving Leorio completely vulnerable to get pelted with a dozen balloons.</p><p>“CHARGE!” Killua shouted, and Kurapika’s class stormed out of the classroom to join in on the battle going on in the hallway once they were armed. They handed Kurapika his water gun, and he somersaulted behind the door, firing at the targets.</p><p>“Damn it!” Pairo said, emerging from his hiding place, “I was so close this time!”</p><p>“You motherfucker!” Kurapika scorned. Pairo turned and bolted for the stairwell. That very morning at approximately eight fourteen, the hallway turned into a battleground. Of course, the only people who were prepared were the ones that knew the tradition. As for the ones who weren’t...</p><p>“Okay I’m gonna ask this again. <em>What</em>.” Leorio spit out water, drenched from head to toe. “<em>Is going on?</em>” he ducked behind Kurapika, helplessly dodging another water balloon.</p><p>Kurapika grabbed his shirt and they both ducked to the ground. “No time to talk!”</p><p>“<em>Someone needs to explain </em>why this place turned into a water gun fight! I thought we were here to drop our kids off!”</p><p>Kurapika grit his teeth.</p><p>“Get inside,” He tugged Leorio into the classroom, waiting for his class, his army, that was— to bulldoze into the classroom wet from attacking their opponents and closing the door. He even went as far as to grab a chair and put it under on the doorknob and board up the doors like they were preparing for an intense lockdown. “So I must tell you, since you lost the game, technically—”</p><p>
  <em>“—what game?!”</em>
</p><p>“Rule number one. No one tells you about the game. To be in the game, you must play it. As soon as you walk through those school doors, the game has begun.”</p><p>“What,” Leorio snorted, “like a game of tag?”</p><p>“Leorio this is no light matter. Rule number two. You must keep your eyes peeled at <em>all </em>costs.”</p><p>“Is that why the kids are <em>armed</em>?” Not with real weapons, clearly, just slingshots, water guns, balloons, and the kinds of things one would expect a young child to have. “That explains why Gon put war paint on his face this morning.”</p><p>“It’s for protection!” Gon said, “today’s the start of the opening ceremony!”</p><p>"The opening ceremony? Is this something we do before class starts?”</p><p>“No.” Killua said, “a noob like you wouldn’t understand. It’s like Call of Duty. Gear up, or die.”</p><p>“<em>OR WHAT?!”</em></p><p>“Rule number three,” Kurapika emphasized, “play to <em>win</em>. That’s the only way to survive.”</p><p>“We’re only here to recharge.” Zushi explained, “Mr. Kurta boards up the doors so people can’t barge into the classroom and attack us.”</p><p>“That explains things even less!”</p><p>“We’re gonna go back out there.” Killua said, and he’s donned in the same war paint as Gon’s but his was blue instead of green. “There’s no class during the week.”</p><p>“Because?!”</p><p>“We’re in the middle of a war.” Killua said, “it’s the uprising of the working class against the bourgeoisie.”</p><p>“How do you even know that information?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“Five Monsters one morning and I ended up teaching them about the Communist Manifesto,” Kurapika said, “...<em>long story</em>, but they retained a lot of information.”</p><p>Leorio wasn’t convinced, not in the slightest. “Nice try. I’m not falling for whatever this is, okay?”</p><p>“You’re not allowed to leave the classroom, Mr. Paladiknight.” Komugi tugged on his shirt. “Everyone’s supposed to stay in here.”</p><p>“That’s cute and all, but like I said, I’m not part of this game.”</p><p>“You’re already in the classroom.” Pokkle said. “That means you have to stay for round two.”</p><p>“And who said that?!”</p><p>“The rules of the game.” Canary answered.</p><p>“It’s technically like a lockdown.” Kurapika explained. “The entire school is given about ten minutes to settle into their classrooms. We wait for the announcement, once he gives us the go— we fight.”</p><p>“Alright listen, I gotta go.” Leorio was already moving the chair aside, “it was fun being part of this little play fight or whatever.” he opened the door.</p><p>Approximately five minutes later Kurapika opened the door to see Leorio dripping from head to toe because people were still attacking each other with their water balloons and guns outside, screams could be heard from outside. The sound of thudding footsteps, slamming doors, and squeaky shoes skidding across the marble floors.</p><p>The noise started to filter out as people began retreating back into a room for safety.</p><p>“Welcome back.” Kurapika smiled, “and I wouldn’t advise roaming the halls if I were you, even if it was empty. Rule number four, <em>never </em>wander off alone.”</p><p>“Dully noted.” Leorio responded.</p><p>“At ease.” Kurapika told the class, their weapons ready at the first person who walked through that door. He arched a brow.</p><p>“This has to be some kind of joke.” Leorio said.</p><p>“Are you going to play?”</p><p>“No! I’m not!”</p><p>“Then I cannot help you.”</p><p>“Help me with what?!”</p><p>“The battle for independence!” Killua said, and the class roared in unison. “If you’re too weak you’ll never survive.”</p><p>“I’m sorry I had to drag you into this.” Kurapika placed a hand on his arm, “I should’ve told you.”</p><p>“<em>Clearly.”</em> Leorio shook the wetness out of his hair much like a wet dog, “guess I’ll text Pietro to wait outside.” Once again, he was pretending like this was a day at the park and not a day they were meant to be fighting for their lives.</p><p>He was in the middle of texting when the speakers beeped.</p><p>Everyone tensed.</p><p><em>“Hello, combatants of Yorknew Elementary.” </em>Leorio jumped at the sound of the bass-boosted, distorted voice on the speakers— sounded straight-up like <em>Jigsaw</em>. <em>“My name is Rat. I will be coordinating today’s tournament. I hope you all have done well. If you are currently in a room, that means you have successfully passed round one. By now, all combatants must clear the hallway and there will be soldiers patrolling taking immediate precaution for anyone that is still roaming the hallways.”</em></p><p>“...you mean we’re not allowed to leave the building?” Leorio asked. He was answered by everyone responding <em>shh! </em>In his face. Kurapika put a finger to his lips, demanding Leorio listen to the morning announcement— which was just Pariston making his voice distorted to make things sound more legit and frightening. The soldiers in question were just Dallzollene and the security guards stationed around the school that hated their jobs and were only bothering to do this for an increase in pay promised by Netero, generously.</p><p><em>“No one is allowed to leave the premises until the games have commenced. This is not only a battle, but it is a race. The goal for each class is to make it to the safe haven, in this case</em>— <em>the jungle gym. But you must capture the flags awaiting your arrival throughout the building. Our subordinates will be providing plenty of weapons to stock up in your inventory. A note pertaining to all clues to find these flags were somewhere in your classrooms.. This is your lifeline. You must keep this clue at all times as you will need it. Captains, lead your soldiers wisely. I wish you the best of luck. Now let’s get this party started.”</em></p><p>A hip hop song blasted on the speakers to commemorate the game resuming.</p><p>“Quick.” Kurapika said, “find the clues hidden in the classroom!” Everyone scattered to check all around. “You too!” he told Leorio. “I promise I’ll explain everything in proper context later.”</p><p>“You’d better.” He sighed, helping Kurapika find the clue. They were on a time limit, and it sounded like people were already leaving their classrooms.</p><p>Leorio curiously pulled out one of the baskets at the library filled with books and he opened each of them, a folded note slipped out.</p><p>“Uh,” he lifted the note, “I found something.”</p><p>Kurapika rushed to his side, along with the class.</p><p>“Open it!” Gon said.</p><p>“Uh…” Leorio unfolded the note, “first clue… basketball hoops and hula hoops.”</p><p>“The gym!” The kids chimed.</p><p>“Let’s go.” Kurapika snatched the note and they left the classroom, giving them a minute to prepare themselves. The world out there was chaos, they had to be cautious.</p><p>The trek to the gym was not an easy one. Each class participating had the same exact clues, which meant meeting with other people in the middle of their scavenger hunt and they had to withdraw their weapons and attack.</p><p>“So let me get this straight!” Leorio had to shout because everyone was too busy pelting balloons at each other, “we have to <em>fight each other </em>in a game of capture the flag?!”</p><p>“You’re not armed.” Kurapika pointed out, “where is your weapon?”</p><p>“I didn’t think I was going to <em>need </em>any.”</p><p>“How do you expect to defend yourself?!”</p><p>“<em>You tell me</em>!”</p><p>“Here!” Gon tossed Leorio a water gun, “it’s dangerous to go unarmed! Take this!”</p><p>“Why’d you have to give him a gun?!” Killua said, “should’ve just let him go naked!”</p><p>“He needs one just like the rest of us!”</p><p>The gym doors were opened where they’d be keeping the first dozen of flags for each captain to snag, which meant the class sent Kurapika (and Leorio, against his will) into the wild to grab the flag. They had to do it quick, because they had only an hour to find all the flags.</p><p>“What’s the next clue?” Kurapika asked, the class huddled around the two adults. Leorio fumbled trying to unfold it again.</p><p>“Apples, cherries, peaches and lunches.”</p><p>“The cafeteria.” Canary said.</p><p>“Okay, who wants to hold the flag?” All of them jumped up, volunteering at once. Kurapika gave them a math problem to solve and Canary was the one to solve it correctly the first time so he handed her the flag. They searched the cafeteria next, because the rooms the clues had talked about were big, teachers were there handing them flags quick enough so they don’t get too soaked in the process— although inevitable.</p><p>Kurapika saw a tuft of black hair in the crowd and he felt his face twist in disgust.</p><p>“Chrollo.”</p><p>“Ah, Kurapika!” He was tagging along, unfortunately. Since it was optional for single subject teaching fucks like this one and other faculty members to proudly participate. "So nice of us to meet each other like this. How many flags you have?"</p><p>Kurapika and his kids glared daggers at Chrollo, Leorio barely caught on. "Three."</p><p>"This is our sixth." Chrollo smiled, twirling the flag in Kurapika's direction. "Luckily we know our ways around finding the clues much more efficiently."</p><p>"Show-off!" Gon said. The kids blew raspberries at Chrollo and his students, technically, another teacher was with him as well. Kurapika felt sorry for her, as all she did was swoon over the shithead and let him take over. His class stuck their tongues out and did the same right back.</p><p>"We'll beat you." Killua glared.</p><p>"Losers!" One of the kids barked back. Leorio took the flag from Menchi, the lunch lady who was just about tired of these ridiculous games taken far too seriously.</p><p>“Break a leg out there!” She bid them farewell when they left the cafeteria. Leorio slowly caught on that the flags were placed in known rooms around the school, however some were a little more obscure and took a bit of thinking to find. The chase was on. Dozens of classes were running all around the school at this very moment to snag all ten flags as quickly as possible, dousing each other in water just to be the first to do it. When they got to the library, Kurapika told them to split up as this time, the flags were hidden.</p><p>“Found it!” Killua said, somewhere within the stacks the blue flag was nestled inside.</p><p>“Next is to the music room!” Leorio pointed, just because Kurapika wasn’t certain if he was into this. But here he was, charging with the class into the music room as he told them to aim fire and <em>leave no survivors</em>.</p><p>“Killua!” Gon gasped when he got hit by a water balloon, dramatically clutching his chest and falling to the ground. The kids gathered around him.</p><p>“I don’t know if I could fight anymore.”</p><p>“We need you!”</p><p>He hacked a few coughs, “...tell Mr. Kurta… I tried my best.”</p><p>“No way you’re dying on me, buddy!” Leorio slid on the floor to grab Killua’s shoulders, “we got one more flag left! Thanks to Komugi, we just need one more and we can go to the playground!”</p><p>Killua’s eyes widened.</p><p>Kurapika offered a hand. “Lend us your strength once more.”</p><p>Everyone was waiting on him. Killua took Kurapika’s hand, Kurapika lifting him up to his feet. He yelped when Leorio lifted him up to his shoulders.</p><p>“Let’s go find that flag!” Leorio exclaimed. They chanted “<em>osu!”</em> and bolted out of the music room. The last room was the art room, where Kite welcomed them with extra water balloons and water to refill their water guns. Princess casually hanging out in the back of the room as they searched. Gon happened to find the flag dipped in a cup of paint.</p><p>When they gathered in the playground, unfortunately, they weren’t the first class to be there. But they were <em>one </em>of the earlier teams to reach the safe point. Bisky and Cheadle were waiting for them. The courtyard slowly filled up, and soon half the school was waiting impatiently on the court for the next directions.</p><p>“Congratulations to Miss Maxwell and Mr. Lucilfer for winning,” Cheadle said. A little bitterness increased tensions in the area, but they still applauded nonetheless. Chrollo’s smug ugly look as he thanked everyone.</p><p>“He was far ahead anyway,” Leorio said, “you couldn’t have beat him.”</p><p>“We <em>definitely </em>could’ve.”</p><p>“Now if you can please line up and follow us into the gym, Mr. Hill will be inside to direct everyone there as smoothly as possible!” Bisky announced, “<em>slowly</em>, and <em>quietly</em>!”</p><p>None of the students were going to do that.</p><p>The gym was <em>loud </em>when the kids had piled in, sticking to their respective classes and sitting with their teachers at the benches. Those who couldn’t sit remained standing or sat on the floor. They were all incredibly eager.</p><p>“I forget to remind you that around the time of the sports competition, we hold a school wide scavenger hunt.” Kurapika said as he and Leorio sat down. “The catch is that we don’t know when it’s initiated until it happens spontaneously, and we’re thrown into a “lockdown” until the game starts. Once the game is over, we’re called here. Hence why everyone’s so excited.”</p><p>“Is that what this is all about?!” Leorio asked, “is this like a sports festival?!”</p><p>“Something like that! We’ve been doing it for years, apparently! Even before some of us started working here!”</p><p>They heard loud drums. Everyone started cheering. A banner dropped from the ceiling that spelled out <em>DAYS UNTIL YORKNEW SPORTS FESTIVAL: 0 </em>written in messy paint. Confetti popped out front center. Their school mascot, dressed up as a boar, burst through the banner and break danced. The gym doors flew open, and the marching band paraded down the aisle. Melody was with them. Leorio watched in awe, Kurapika smiling wide. They were doing a stadium chant to <em>Seven Nation Army </em>in tandem with the band, and Netero jogged across the gym for the microphone set up to two large speakers.</p><p>It’s a wonderful sight, the greatest time of the year, a beautiful day of the morning to be away from their classes and sit back and relax. Engaging in active activities such as this and keeping them on their toes for what was to come on a usually exhausting early morning. The pep rally was vibrant, the same energy as to that before a big sports game and the energy radiated throughout the large gym.</p><p>“Hello! Hello!” Netero greeted everyone, “I hope you guys enjoyed the scavenger hunt! I know I did! We were all watching everyone on camera!” he laughed, “boy were you guys a riot! Surely I was not disappointed by everyone’s participation. I understand how this might be a game and all, but there’s no actual wins or losses. I made that policy very clear since the first time I’ve done it. Now, you know why we’re all here. Screw the books!” The audience cried in agreement.</p><p>“No one actually wants to learn when it’s <em>June</em>, you’re all dying to get outta here and go on vacation! Spend two months <em>free </em>from this place! So a few years back, the Zodiacs and I got together and we decided we’d arrange an annual sports festival to celebrate an ending to a beautiful year we’ve been through together. For those of you who are new here… don’t worry, that’s why we’re here. To explain why the heck everyone’s attacking each other with water balloons, your classmates are supposed to bring pencils to school!</p><p>Let me tell you. And I’ll make it brief so everyone doesn’t die of boredom. We’re going to spend a week holding a series of sports games, everyone is welcome to participate. Technically, it’s like a field day. But a day’s not enough, and you all need a well-deserved break from the classroom. School will be ending as of next week, so why not begin the greatest time you will ever have just right about now?”</p><p>The marching band continued to play. The applause rolled in at full force.</p><p>A thrilling year was nearing its end and going out with a bang was the best way to start it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was only day one of the Yorknew sports festival. However, the scavenger hunt was considered to be their opening ceremony… as an entire after-school evening was spent setting up the building for the remainder of the week to come.</p><p>The most important part of set-up was opening the field for everyone’s use and not just exclusively for the athletes on sports teams and gym periods. Since it was larger and had more space, they’d be migrating to the open field to spend their field day.</p><p>The entirety of the field was transformed into an obstacle course, the bland baseball field and acres of grass for playing a majority of different sports had stations for the games they’d be playing set up. It’d be changing every day, as the field served for multipurpose activities. They’d be spending the majority of the day outside, as for indoor activities, they’d resort back to the gym decorated for the same means.</p><p>However, it wasn’t just the gym and the field. The hallways had small stations sanctioned like that of a walk-in carnival, where hired professionals were there to provide entertainment. Whether it was getting fortunes told, playing a game of cards, a fake tattoo, and some classrooms were booked for students looking for entertainment. Finishing touches were made around parts of the building, and its bland look reverted into a festive paradise where one could go to forget about their worries for the next day.</p><p>It was, arguably the busiest part— especially setting up hula hoops on the floor and dropping jump ropes and other gym equipment back and forth for an extra couple hours for when the students arrived, but Netero took this very seriously. Bisky and Cheadle were ten times more commanding than they were before in insisting that each station was polished and ready for when tomorrow arrived.</p><p>This was the only week of each school year they’d ever have an event as big as this, the biggest one yet— so they had to make it count. Not once had anything gone terribly wrong, planned with necessary precaution even months in advance and a few minor incidents happened here and there as it was natural, but the goal was creating something that was fun and engaging for the students while running as smoothly as possible. Of course, volunteers were always welcome to participate for the purpose of being inclusive.</p><p>Let’s say the very second day of the Yorknew Sports Festival… It was packed like a concert. Mass e-mails sent out about the event a day prior that it had begun, flyers plastered on the walls, strong words of encouragement to returning volunteers and families who have been there and done the same rodeo as their children have been enrolled in the school for longer than some, the newer few getting a chance to experience something so majestic for the very first time.</p><p>“When I saw the e-mail Cheadle sent, I thought it was like this cute little field day thing where they’d run in circles for a day or something.” Leorio said, “...<em>I didn’t think it’d be this huge</em>.”</p><p>It was almost endearing to watch the way Leorio was experiencing this all. Since all the teachers aided in making this event come to life, most of them were tired of it. They were responsible for the exhausting task of shouting at kids not to fight each other to fight for the soccer ball, pass out water bottles and snacks, and be on their feet in blistering hot weather. Kurapika, however, didn’t mind this day one single bit. A certain <em>asshole </em>film teacher was rubbing his smug little hands all over the victory trophy for the best class of the year and Kurapika wanted that title more than anything. (“I’m pretty sure winning and losing isn’t a thing here. The trophy’s given to everyone for effort.” “Well I want whatever the fucking <em>winning </em>trophy is, Pairo.” “...That’s the thing, they’re all the same trophy.”)</p><p>“The e-mail said sports festival.”</p><p>“Yeah, but this!” Leorio gestured to the marching band and the <em>dancers</em> putting on a performance during their game of tug of war which they just ended to keep everyone entertained while eating grass face first and getting blisters from tugging on a rope for thirty minutes. The ground thumped from the obnoxiously loud pop music playing on the outdoor speakers, that, gallons of water, and an array of energizing sports activities were enough to keep hundreds of pre-teens happy, apparently.</p><p>They’d have to keep rotating coolers back and forth to refill it with water bottles and even that wasn’t enough to sate the thirst of eager children and exhausted faculty members. Kurapika had his hair tied up into a high ponytail, resorting to his school t-shirt mandatory for all teachers to wear, and shorts with his best running sneakers because he’d be playing and running on his feet for several hours. There was barely a breeze, disappointed when it’d hit and it’d be warm as a dry desert. It’s too sunny, and there’s no shade. Leorio and Pietro are wearing shorts and t-shirts, attempting to fan themselves with the pamphlet of the list of activities to do in the school while the festival was still happening.</p><p>“Are you already tired?” Kurapika teased.</p><p>“I’ll <em>live</em>. Everyone treats me like a geriatic patient the minute I admit to having joint pains. Give me a break.”</p><p>“It’s so you don’t <em>die</em>,” Pietro chimed in. “It’s not mandatory that senior citizens with disabilities can participate,” he gave Leorio a shit-eating grin, fully expecting the punch in the shoulder he got.</p><p>They were there to not only participate in games, but help pass around water bottles for when the kids got tired. And they were always needing water every couple of seconds. The weather hit around a whooping ninety-eight this afternoon, and it was only eight-nine in the morning. About a large difference, but both states of weather felt agonizing to be outside in. They had a morning pep rally in the gym where another dance performance and a breakout game of basketball occurred between the middle school basketball team, then after they were free to roam the school for a period or two, have lunch, and report to the field as soon as it was over.</p><p>They’d have their sports competition until the final fifteen minutes of the school day where they’d stay in their classrooms with the fans on blast about to blow a fuse because the AC’s chose its days when it wanted to <em>work</em>— but they had to take what they could get. To be fair, the teachers were even busier this week than normal, and monitoring rowdy children butting heads in sports was an extreme sport in itself.</p><p>“How do you do it?” Leorio asked, “you command them back and forth like it’s the Navy out there.”</p><p>“Me?” Pairo plopped down on the grass— blankets and towels were advised because breaks in-between counted as picnic time, he snorted, “no, you mean Pika. They show no mercy.”</p><p>“Leniency is too cowardly.” Kurapika defended. “Running things with more aggression keeps them focused.”</p><p>“I don’t know, you were a little too hard on them when we did limbo.” Leorio teased, and Pairo and Pietro snickered while drinking their water bottles. Kurapika smacked Leorio in the arm.</p><p>“Don’t <em>mock </em>me. I happen to think my methods of coaching are <em>justified</em>.”</p><p>“I’d understand if Phinks and Uvo do it ‘cause they also did ROTC,” Pairo cackled, “but this is an elementary school. It’s <em>limbo</em>.”</p><p>“Say what you want.” Kurapika grumbled, “but we’ve won multiple rounds. So ha.”</p><p>“What’s next?” Pietro asked.</p><p>So far they’ve done obstacle courses involving hula hoops and jump ropes, soccer, a spoon race, tag and tug of war, breaks after every three games was the policy before lunch— and the next would be a relay race.</p><p>“I have my bet on Killua this one.” Kurapika told Leorio as the kids lined up at the starting line.</p><p>“Gon can run pretty fast.” Leorio said defensively. “...Fast enough.” he admitted.</p><p>“I’ve seen him run. It’s unearthly. Faster than any other child I know.”</p><p>“Ten Jenny.” Leorio offered.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>A lot of them were stretching and hopping around on the balls of their feet. Killua stood there motionless, hands in his pockets.</p><p>“This is a waste of time.” He scoffed.</p><p>“Pfft, how long do you think it’ll take you?” Another kid asked.</p><p>“Hm. Five seconds.”</p><p>His friends laughed.</p><p>“He’s not joking.” Canary told them seriously, “Killua’s a fast runner.”</p><p>“Yeah!” Gon chirped, “he’s like the Flash!”</p><p>Killua raised his brows, shrugging. “See? My friends say I’m fast. Fast like the Flash.”</p><p>“Yeah right. We only know you’re showing off.”</p><p>“On your marks!” Phinks got his whistle ready when they assembled behind the finish line. They got ready, “Get set… go!”</p><p>Killua left a trail of dust behind all the kids and made it past the cones and the finish line a second before his set time. So fast that Palm, guarding the rope, had to blink twice to realize Killua already passed the finish line before the other kids.</p><p>“Yeah! Go Killua!” Gon’s cheering despite being left behind, but he wasn’t playing competitively unlike some of the kids here practically gawking in confusion along with some teachers.</p><p>“Oh.” Leorio said, and Kurapika looked at him knowingly. He sighed. “I’ll hand over the money later.”</p><p>“Thought so.”</p><p>The bouncy race proved to be… not Killua’s best strong point. But Kurapika liked to motivate his students even if they felt like they were losing, and lagging behind in last place. Gon won that one, and Leorio smugly grinned down at him and ruffled his hair. (“See? He’s got his strengths.” “...I’d suppose.” “Don’t be a sore loser, now.”)</p><p>There was always at least one game that involved water, this one just happened to be a messy game of sponge pass. The goal was to squeeze a wet sponge into a bucket from the starting line, with everyone lined up in a straight line from the starting to the finish line they’d pass the first bucket down the line as quickly as possible until they got to the finish line and pour the remaining contents into the second bucket.</p><p>...And many times the bucket had accidentally fallen over, causing groans and accusations.</p><p>“It’s fine!” Leorio eased down the tension, “we can just try again!”</p><p>“But we suck!”</p><p>“Pokkle spilled the bucket again!”</p><p>“It wasn’t even me!”</p><p>“What did I say the policy was if we lose a game?” Kurapika asked, simmering them down.</p><p>“Win the next game.” They replied.</p><p>“That’s right, so what are we going to do?”</p><p>“Try again!”</p><p>“Team huddle.” Kurapika said, and they gathered in a circle to put their hands in like they do before the start of every game, lifting their hands in the air.</p><p>By the time they were escorted back to the classrooms, everyone was just about ready to collapse.</p><p>Another classroom had to borrow the fan from Kurapika’s, so he asked Leorio and Pietro to get it back because he had to watch the class. They plugged it up and honestly, Kurapika was too tired to tell them to stay in their seats. He already opened all the windows to let in whatever fresh air he could.</p><p>“Here,” Leorio offered him a bottle of water.</p><p>“Thank you.” Kurapika sighed. This time, he could care less— pouring some of the water on his forehead.</p><p>“Rough day?” Leorio sat down, smirking. Normally, Kurapika knew how to keep his composure after a hard day’s work. Hell, he’d been <em>trained </em>for this. But <em>nothing </em>beat the exhaustion that hit everyone like a truck the end of day when all the crazy sporting events were over and they were given the call to return all the students back to their classrooms, get them all packed up for dismissal. They’d just had a bathroom break before this because they weren’t allowed to use the bathroom until <em>after </em>playtime was over. It was to prevent an influx of students going back and forth to the restrooms and overflowing capacity because they drank too much damn water every two seconds.</p><p>He sighed, glaring at Leorio who laughed tiredly. “No leaving the room until the bell dismisses you!” Kurapika shouted, directing them back to their seats.</p><p>“Mr. Kurta! I spilled my juice on me!”</p><p>“Mr. Kurta I can’t find my toy car!”</p><p>Leorio looked at him sympathetically. “You need any help?”</p><p>“No, I’ve got this.” Kurapika and Leorio were sitting at his desk. Pietro was talking to some of the kids and keeping them company. He got up to wrangle them in place and saw that they'd already spilled orange juice on the floor because some of them brought snacks from home they haven’t eaten yet.</p><p>The whirring noise of the rotating fan circulated cool air throughout the classroom but because they were moving so much, they complained about it being hot still. Kurapika couldn’t sit in his chair for ten seconds before someone was running up to him again. Whether it be Gon, Killua, both, one of his friends, or any of their classmates.</p><p>“This weather is fucking abysmal.” Kurapika muttered under his breath. It’s that time of day when his filter turned off and any ounce of respect left in him slowly ebbed away. The sweat droplets trickling down his forehead wasn’t fucking helping.</p><p>“Heard it’s going to hit a hundred today.” Leorio said.</p><p>“It’s already hit a hundred.” Pietro showed them the weather app on his phone.</p><p>“Fuck me.” Leorio busted out laughing at Kurapika’s response, uncaring if the kids were happily giggling and playing at their tables a few feet away.</p><p>“<em>You get used to it</em>, eh?”</p><p>“Fuck off. I hate hot weather. I apologize if I get irritable but I just cannot stand it. I can feel sweat pouring into my shoes.” Leorio kept laughing and Kurapika frowned at him, “stop laughing! Sweat is pouring into my <em>shoes</em>.”</p><p>“And my balls are sweating and you don’t see me complaini— <em>hahahaha</em>— <em>ow ow ow</em>—” he seized up when Kurapika swatted his head with his water bottle, “it’s cold!” he yelped. “They’re harassing me!” Leorio told the kids, but they simply giggled at him and their bickering.</p><p>“He is also harassing <em>me</em>.”</p><p>“You’re not allowed to be rude to teachers.” Killua said.</p><p>“You’re gonna immediately take their side?!”</p><p>Killua blew a raspberry at him.</p><p>“This is the treatment I deserve when I saved you during that three-legged race?!”</p><p>“I let you do it to make you feel less bad for falling on your face at the sack race.” Kurapika snorted at Killua’s comment.</p><p>“I don’t understand how you deal with this every single day.” Leorio scoffed. “But then I deal with patients as equally as bat shit crazy, and then I understand completely.”’</p><p>Kurapika took a folder on his desk and started fanning himself. “So how was your first sports festival?”</p><p>“A lot.”</p><p>“We have three more days of this.”</p><p>“<em>Three more days</em>?”</p><p>“It’s… technically four days long, if the opening ceremony scavenger hunt counts.” Kurapika said. “Prepare for the muscle soreness to hit at full force by the end of it.”</p><p>“Well we’re only working night-shift today and I’m off the rest of the week. If anything, I wanna be there and see how this sports festival plays out. It sure beats a boring day sleeping in at home.”</p><p>“Are you sure that isn’t too much?”</p><p>“Nah. Remember in college I was juggling internships <em>and </em>classes back to back.” Leorio said. “I’ll let you know when I drop dead, though. I promise.”</p><p>They both started laughing so hard that the kids blinked at them with wide eyes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When Leorio got the very… <em>ecstatic </em>e-mail from Cheadle when he was sitting in his office, contemplating if he wanted to bulgeon himself to death— at first, he thought it wouldn’t be too bad.</p><p>
  <em>From: c.yorkshire@yorknew.edu </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hello, parents of Yorknew!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I hope this e-mail finds you well! We are sending out reminders that the Yorknew Sports Festival has officially started! It’s finally summer, and we are inviting you to visit our school for the many carnival games and sports festivities included for family and friends of all ages. PTA committee members are exclusively welcome to participate in planning and organization. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>As the school year is unfortunately coming to a close, your presence is greatly appreciated as it shows your endless support in helping us raise money for our fundraiser and continue to help us keep these events up and running.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sincerely,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Cheadle Yorkshire</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Faculty Supervisor</em>
</p><p>Leorio had spit out his coffee when he spotted the words <em>as the school year is unfortunately coming to a close</em>.</p><p>“Pietro!” He asked when his co-worker walked in with Oito, speaking about a patient report— and they both jumped at his outburst. “What month is it?!”</p><p>“I-It’s June, Mr. Paladiknight.” Oito responded meekly.</p><p>“June?!”</p><p>“Yeah?” Pietro snorted, “did you think it wasn’t?”</p><p>“Last time I checked it was May!”</p><p>“No, May ended like, weeks ago.”</p><p>“Since when?!”</p><p>“Well it is… June twenty-first…” Oito explained, “and May has ended about three weeks ago.”</p><p>“Kurapika,” his face paled, “I gotta confess to Kurapika by the end of June!”</p><p>“Did you seriously forget about that?” Pietro asked.</p><p>Leorio stormed out of his office, lab coat still on, sandals on his socked feet he swapped from his crocs for because it was nearing the end of his shift, his chest all puffed out while his nurses had crowded around him— confused. “I have a love declaration to start plotting!” he told them determinedly, “no time to waste!” he pumped a fist in the air.</p><p>“A love declaration for who, sir?!”</p><p>“Who is it?!”</p><p>“A secret admirer?”</p><p>“O-Or… could it be one of us?”</p><p>“It’s someone else.” Leorio said sadly, “sorry ladies, you’re all very lovely. You too, Hiro.” He singled out the only male nurse of the bunch and he was pleased that Leorio acknowledged him, “but this person I’ve been chasing after for a while… and I stupidly let them slip out of my grasp.”</p><p>“How are you going to win them back?”</p><p>Leorio clenched a fist, dramatically striking a pose, lab coat flying behind him and all. “I’ll confess, for real.”</p><p>Pietro and Oito frowned at the way the nurses were only enamored by his motivation as if they never used to glare daggers the second Leorio was captured by someone else’s gaze noticeably. Practically showing heart-eyes and gushing at him.</p><p>“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”</p><p>“So heroic!”</p><p>“He’s so charming and handsome!”</p><p>He hadn’t shaved in days because of his twenty-four hour shifts back to back and looked like the greasiest man alive, but his employees would still swoon over him regardless.</p><p>“You’re not gonna give them another month to fall in love with you this time?” Pietro asked, ignoring the way the nurses had glared at him.</p><p>“Mr. Paladiknight’s perfectly capable of confessing his love, mind you!”</p><p>“Yeah! He’s strong, talented, hard-working, and irresistible!”</p><p>“Did I mention an idiot?”</p><p>Oito placed a hand on her mouth, not wanting to snort aloud at that before she got mauled by the nurses. Pietro didn’t give two shits, and that’s why he and Leorio made great partners in and out the doors of the OR.</p><p>“I’ll do it this time!” Leorio declared.</p><p>All of that was just him hyping himself up to look cool in front of his cherished colleagues and employees. His team might look up to him in the workplace, but outside of that, well.</p><p>He was hopeless.</p><p>He’s only dealt with short-term relationships here and there, accepting that someone had genuine feelings for him knowing all the <em>baggage </em>he had and wasn’t basically a money-chaser was a lot to take in. He had a lot of trust issues from being used, constantly. Admittedly, he was someone who wanted all the money in the world when he wanted to be a doctor. With that money, he could have anyone he wanted. But those people just wanted that, and only that, and with Kurapika— it wasn’t the same.</p><p>Some ordinary teacher captured his heart and not a well-known five-star model who was just as successful and filthy rich, Hell, the child of a business mogul, or a CEO of a successful company— when he broke it to his parents he was in love with a teacher, their surprise was warranted. But they were okay with it, and their question followed by the confession was <em>so why the Hell haven’t you won them over yet? </em>Since by now, they would’ve been introduced to Kurapika a long time ago.</p><p>They were right.</p><p>What <em>was </em>he waiting for?</p><p>All this chasing, and soon, Kurapika would be too far out of his reach. They won’t wait forever, so he had to man up, grow some balls, and do something about it.</p><p>So his plan was confessing at the very end of the sports festival. Once and for all. He’d tell Kurapika how he felt, and ask for an answer.</p><p>He’d pull through a sports festival if he had to. A bunch of kiddie games in ninety degree weather was something he could handle if it meant showing his true and utmost dedication.</p><p>And then the next sports competition quickly changed Leorio’s mind.</p><p>“No.” He said, “no way in Hell am I doing a <em>cheerleading </em>competition.”</p><p>“Please please please please!” Pairo begged, “it’s the color wars!”</p><p>“And so what?!”</p><p>Everyone had gasped as if Leorio just mocked the school’s legacy in their faces.</p><p>“Color wars is like… the <em>most </em>important part of the sports festival.” Shalnark said, “it’s when everyone splits into two different colored teams and competes by doing different games.”</p><p>“Jeez… just how many things happen in this sports festival?” He thought what Kurapika explained to him after that crazy opening ceremony he was dragged into, like it was the <em>Hunger Games </em>or something— would make him understand better what he’s missing out on. It did close to nothing to help him understand remotely what went on in Gon’s school.</p><p>“Each day is different.” Phinks explained, “after the opening ceremony the remaining four days are split based on theme. Think of like a school spirit week. We have a free day to play games out in the field and visit the booths in the school. The second day, today, is the first day of color wars. We divide ourselves into teams based on color and we do a bunch ‘a shit for two days but we always gotta start it off with a cheer-off. It's how we rep our team spirit.”</p><p>“Well why does it have to be cheerleading?!”</p><p>“Ask Bisky and Cheadle, we don’t come up with the fucking ideas.”</p><p>“We need as many members on our team we can get.” Kurapika said. He clasped his hands together, “please, Mr. Leorio. Lend us your strength.”</p><p>“No! No way! I don’t mind hula hooping with kids but this is where I gotta draw the line!”</p><p>“Cheerleading<em> transcends</em> gender, okay. Haven’t you seen <em>Bring it On</em>?!” Pairo pouted, “is that’s what you’re so worried about?!”</p><p>“T-That’s not my reasoning! And yes! I have seen it!”</p><p>“You hesitated.” Machi said. "One cheer-off isn't gonna kill you."</p><p>“I’m not cheerleading! Anything else you guys need help with I’m fine with doing!”</p><p>“It’s <em>just </em>another dance contest.” Kurapika told him. “A dance contest for little kids. Can you?"</p><p>Leorio <em>did </em>dance, and he <em>is </em>a good dancer. The offer was tempting, but he thought of the frilly pom-poms and the corny cheers and <em>being part of that </em>was worse than actually watching it. “Uh…”</p><p>Pairo and Kurapika looked at him with big, sparkly eyes, pleading. Leorio leaned back the closer they got. He didn’t understand why they never asked Pietro to do this shit and let him slide and the motherfucker did <em>nothing </em>to get him out of this.</p><p>“No!” He almost cracked, but he couldn’t do it. “Ask someone else.” he stood up. “I’m gonna go get us some more water.”</p><p>"He'll come around." Pakunoda told them, "just invite Kurapika's little boyfriend and he'd start scrambling like a desperate puppy."</p><p>"Who?" Kurapika asked. Pairo smirked at him.</p><p>"Oh, we know who..."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The students and teachers went to the gym every morning of the sports festival to watch another opening ceremony. It was quite creative, a different performance put on for the school to watch and the marching band nothing but phenomenal. Melody stood front center, orchestrating the entire thing without breaking a sweat. Everyone was hard at work.</p><p>Pariston proudly took control of the microphone when the performers dispersed from the stage and all the hollering died out. “Gooood morning students of Yorknew! It is now officially day <em>three </em>of the sports festival! How are we today?!” The audience shouted at the top of their lungs, waving their foam hands, flags, whatever rep they had for the school in the air showing off their pride and team spirit. “I’m seeing a lot of colors around!” he teased, “beautiful! I’m going to allow Mr. Mackernasey and Miss Yorkshire explain what we’ll be doing today.”</p><p>The head faculty circled the center of the gym.</p><p>“Now I understand for those of you, this is technically one of your first color wars and your first sports festival in general. Color wars is just as it sounds like, blue team and red team. Grades preschool, kindergarten, first, and third, fourth, and fifth grade together are assigned a <em>single</em> color, and work together to kick each other’s butts. The middle school has their own little tournament and it’s slightly different. We keep it to two colors to keep things simple. Which team has what it takes to show off what they’ve got!” The gym got loud with applause. Kurapika’s class was repping blue, hence their bracelets, headbands, merchandise and even war paint. Leorio felt a little underdressed in just a blue shirt and track pants, since even Pietro dressed a little more festive than he did. He had blue bee antennas on his head. The school split into two colors that they meshed into a giant blob of screaming kids wearing red and blue.</p><p>“Before we get into the heart of the color war,” Cheadle took over the microphone, even the Zodiacs were dressed in colors. But they wore black to distinguish who was a faculty member and who was participating, “the morning breakout session will begin shortly, and then the grades will report back to their assigned classroom where they’d meet, practice, and strategize for today’s <em>cheer-off</em>.”</p><p>“Give it up for the blue team! Make some noise!” Morel took a second to gather a string of cheers for team and give them a moment of spotlight, however, tensions were high— because some people were straight-up booing.</p><p>“The nerve of these people.” Leorio was offended. “They think they’re better than us ‘cause they’re older?”</p><p>“It’s a very competitive time.” Kurapika said.</p><p>“We should boo as loud as we can.” Pairo told everyone in their area, and they agreed.</p><p>“Talk about ego…” Pietro scoffed, “feels like soccer in middle school.”</p><p>“Red team! Make some noise!”</p><p>“<em>BOOOOOOOOOO!”</em> If anyone asked Leorio, they’d think they looked fucking ridiculous booing at each other. Killua and Gon were making faces at the red team, so were their friends, the red team doing the same at them throwing insults back and forth. Machi, Pakunoda, Shalnark, and Feitan were into it. Basho and Melody thought it was hilarious. Franklin stood with his class, uncaring. A mix between those enabling the booing and roasting and those standing there motionless.</p><p>“YOU SUCK!”</p><p>“NO <em>YOU </em>SUCK!”</p><p>“Okay now you guys are way too into this.” Pietro said.</p><p>“You’re just gonna let them<em> trash talk</em> us?!” Leorio shouted.</p><p>It made sense, both teams wanted to prove themselves the best of the best. When the little hype session was over, practically just a way to get children and teachers to start beefing with each other and rubbing in their faces who’s the better team— Phinks and Uvogin announced the first breakout game, calling down a single team to the gym and making them play a few rounds, keeping score of their wins. As Netero said, there were no wins or losses, only celebration of effort— but when Bisky announced the scores of each team, hearing the blue team got one of the <em>lowest</em> actually kind of <em>hurt</em>. The red team had gotten slightly more shots in the hoop than they did.</p><p>The second game was another scavenger hunt. The games went fairly quick, fast-paced. It was hard for Leorio to keep up when their team would get called and everyone would bolt from their seats for the gym floor, like they were trained to do this.</p><p>“This one’s different!” Phinks said, “everyone open your backpacks, wallets, purses, whatever you got. Even if it’s your right shoe. If we’re asking for something you own, run up here as fast as you can.”</p><p>“We have to take off what we have on?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“It’s not anything too vulgar. The most is maybe like, a bracelet, or a hat.” Kurapika answered, “it depends.”</p><p>“I like the sound of this.” Pietro said, “this is getting interesting.”</p><p>“Alright! Everyone!” Kurapika stood up, “listen carefully to what they ask us!”</p><p>“Okay!”</p><p>They’d ask for a series of items and they’d dig through their stuff and rush over and show them, ranging from colored pencils to jewelry. These breakout games were a chance to keep some sort of scores on the teams and they did a little better with this one, as their class would excitedly yell that they found what they were asking and Kurapika, Leorio, and Pietro egged them on to run as fast as they can and show Phinks and Uvogin.</p><p>The final game concluded with a crab-walk race to the end of the gym. When the morning ceremony concluded, Bisky and Cheadle explained the rules of the cheer-off with a group demonstration— and congratulated them for their efforts in the breakout games before dismissing them. They filed out of the gym one by one to their “conference rooms”— in this case, their assigned classrooms to basically sit down and come up with a cheering routine. It served as their own personal homeroom for the day where they can talk to each other while rehearsing at the same time, have their lunch, and have their teachers, or captains— take their attendance.</p><p>Since they’re cramming two grades in one to buddy up with each other the classroom was more than packed, but they chose a large one with extra desks for them to assemble and pushed them to the back of the room so they could practice. Everyone practically rejoiced when they felt the cool breeze of the working AC on their skin after coming back from the sweaty gym.</p><p>“Home sweet air!” Pairo sighed, spreading his arms.</p><p>“Let’s hope this lasts for the entire day.” Kurapika said, “if it breaks again I swear I’ll lose it and do something.”</p><p>“How many members do we have?” Natasha asked, “our group only has… three teachers and two volunteers.”</p><p>“Who’s gonna fill in since Pietro and Leorio aren’t doing it?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Kurapika said, “I know who can join us.”</p><p>“Who?” Leorio frowned.</p><p>He shouldn’t have asked that.</p><p>There was a knock on the side of the door.</p><p>“Hello,” Oito and Bill peeked their heads in the classroom, “sorry we’re late.. We got lost.”</p><p>“They said you asked for more volunteers?” Melody revealed herself from behind them.</p><p>“I did! Great!” Kurapika clapped his hands, “now we have enough members.”</p><p>“Why’d you invite that guy again?!” Leorio pointed at Bill.</p><p>“Nice to see you too, Leorio.” Bill said, unfazed.</p><p>“Hey!” Pairo dragged them in, Kurapika thanking Melody as she said she needed to run and help out another class.</p><p>"You said you were dropping out of this one so we need replacements. Cheerleading involves lots of pyramid structures and lifting, so we need strong people on our team that can help us with such." Kurapika explained, "so, I invited Bill and Oito, if that's okay with you."</p><p>“Hey man.” Pietro nodded at Bill, and Leorio felt betrayed when they greeted each other like old friends. He was doing this on purpose.</p><p>“Oh hell no,” Leorio said, “Screw it. I think I’m down to cheer.” he's not going to sit here and be replaced for somebody else.</p><p>"Told you." Pairo muttered to Kurapika.</p><p>“And break a few bones?” Pietro joked. "Sit down, Doc."</p><p>“I-I won’t break any bones! Screw off!"</p><p>"Old men can't cheer." Killua smirked, a hand over his mouth to cover his cat-like smile.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Kurapika asked, “because we have enough—”</p><p>“—no! I’m cheering!” Leorio pointed at himself, “If you and Bill and Pairo can cheer so can I!”</p><p>“Okay…”</p><p>“Guess that just leaves me.” Pietro said, “if guys need another doctor in case someone breaks their spine, I’m your guy.” They needed a helping hand to hand out water and fresh towels, because he already said from the jump he wasn’t cheerleading but he’d love to watch them throw their cute little pom-poms around and sing about team spirit.</p><p>First, they rounded the students at the front of the classroom to get in formation, allowing them to leave their stuff in the back. A lot of them complained about wanting the pom-poms, and just in the knick of time Palm dropped by to ask how they were doing and left a box of them on the floor and fun little accessories they could use for the performance, she bid them best of luck and left. They had paint for war paint, gloves, hats, braceletes, flag twirlers, and more. They were blue, matching their team color, and being passed around from one group to the next.</p><p>The cool paradise they were basking themselves in quickly ceased when the AC abruptly shut off. They groaned.</p><p>“Oh man!”</p><p>“What happened to the AC?!”</p><p>“Aww!” Abdul mourned, “no more cold air!”</p><p>“Come back!” Gon cried.</p><p>“No!” Pairo dropped to his knees, “sweet sweet cold air!”</p><p>“You guys get sweaty this easy?” Killua asked, frowning. “Tch. Lame.” They stared at him and gawked because he hadn’t broken a single sweat on the walk here.</p><p>“How aren't you sweating?!” Gon asked.</p><p>“We're used to the heat."</p><p>“Zoldyck genes.” Canary stated.</p><p>“Allu, Nani,” Ponzu asked, “you guys sweat?”</p><p>Both girls shook their heads. "Hm... not really!" Alluka said. Their classmates awed in surprise.</p><p>"Are you guys aliens?!" They blanched.</p><p>"It's not even that hot."</p><p>"It's burning!"</p><p>“Can we open the windows?!” Zushi asked, “it’s so hot, Mr. Kurta!”</p><p>“Do we have water, Mr. Lukso?”</p><p>"Mr. Figueroa's passing out water. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask me, Mr. Kurta, Mr. Gate, Mr. Paladiknight, Miss Sayed, or Ms. Hui Guo Rou, okay?"</p><p>"Open the window it's like a sauna in here!" </p><p>“The windows are already open.” Pairo gestured to the open windows prior to them entering the room because they knew the AC’s would run out of energy eventually.</p><p>“I’ll turn the fan on.” Bill said.</p><p>“Please do.” Kurapika sighed.</p><p>“I’ll do it.” Leorio stood up as well.</p><p>“Oh, I was just—”</p><p>“—you’re probably exhausted trying to find where we are I think I should.”</p><p>Pietro, Pairo, Oito, and Kurapika stared blankly at Leorio trying to fight the fan out of Bill’s grasp and position it so that it faced the classroom from the corner of the empty desk. He fumbled with trying to turn it on, so Bill did it for him.</p><p>“There we go.” he said.</p><p>“I knew that.” Leorio grumbled.</p><p>“Okay so!” Kurapika closed the door, “now that we have a full team, we can begin rehearsing. In case anyone needs a reminder, we’re instructed the task of creating a cheer for our school. I know for some of you this is your first sports festival at this school, we all know what cheerleading is." They all nodded, "has anyone cheered before outside of school?"</p><p>"I tried out." Komugi raised her hand shyly, "but since I'm blind, t-they said no..."</p><p>"Oh Jesus." Bill muttered, "that's dark."</p><p>"Well you're going to be a cheerleader today, Komugi." Kurapika said, "forget what those people said. Okay?" </p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Absolutely. Everyone will be a cheerleader."</p><p>“Like the Power Rangers?” Nanika asked.</p><p>“Yeah, exactly like the Power Rangers!” Pairo chimed in, “we need to come up with the coolest cheer.”</p><p>“What do we get if we win?” Killua asked, “because cheerleading’s lame and I’m not doing it if there’s no prize.”</p><p>“A really big prize they kept a secret.” Leorio blurted out. Kurapika, Pairo, Oito, Natasha, and Pietro stared at him in shock when they started yelling in excitement.</p><p>“Really?!”</p><p>The answer really was a gift card to an arcade and bragging rights, they don’t exactly have the budget to give away free iPads because most of it was spent on keeping this joint running every year and it surely wasn’t fucking cheap from the looks of it.</p><p>“Sure!”</p><p>"I'm gonna make sure we all come out of this classroom with the most epic dance routine ever! So! Any more questions?" Pairo asked.</p><p>Nanika raised her hand.</p><p>"What's up, Nani?"</p><p>"When's lunch? We're hungry."</p><p>"Twelve-twenty. Get your butts up, we dance now and eat later."</p><p>Well, that got them all on board. Since most of them weren’t down to do it. They got to practicing. None of them had a cheerleading bone in their body, but they held some sort of dancing experience. Leorio only had the experience of the hip hop scene when he and Pietro went to parties down the block and learned how to do some decent b-boying dance moves, Pietro mentioned he wasn't going to take part of it at all, Kurapika only had modern dance experience because of theatre, Pairo because he took dance classes and was once a choreographer— but put a couple of teachers and volunteers with rusty dancing abilities and hyperactive children with a barely developed prefrontal cortex, equated to a recipe for disaster.</p><p>Everyone wanted to do more than one thing and not stick to something basic. They had no idea what the groups on the red team would come up with, so they had to improvise. They only had the remaining three hours to incorporate all of their prior knowledge into a decent cheer routine that didn't turn to shit. Easier said than done.</p><p>The first part of the class was spent assigning everyone positions on their "cheer team," and who'd be doing what to make things more organized. </p><p>They decided on a song after some contemplation and needed to get their hands on a working radio to jam out to, and they managed to salvage a one from another classroom, happening to witness a class from the red team go over their dance routine and see that they had something going on <em>way </em>above their level.</p><p>“How are we gonna compete with <em>that</em>?” Pairo asked.</p><p>“We’ll figure out a way.” Kurapika said, “we should stop spying. We have a radio. Let’s go.”</p><p>“Does it work?” Leorio asked.</p><p>“I fucking hope so. I had enough of things in this school breaking."</p><p>Since the AC was turned off practicing in a sweaty classroom made it difficult to maintain focus when they were sweating bullets. Pairo shouting “five, six, seven, eight!” and getting their asses into gear because he was the one coming up with the choreography. They had to stock up on first aid kits for the amount of injuries withstood and it’s only been an hour. The room wasn’t big enough for them to shuffle around, limbs awkwardly stretched out in a way that was comfortable. People were getting hit in the face too much to count. Not to mention Leorio fought Bill (not with, just <em>fought</em>) over lifting Kurapika for the basket toss, arguments over who wanted to be lifted up to spell out the words <em>I &lt;3 YN </em>because not enough of them could spell out the whole word.</p><p>Pairo felt like they weren’t motivated enough to put any effort into the choreography because they spent it too much bickering and shoving, not to mention complaining to the teachers someone hit them and <em>this </em>and that.</p><p>“It’s too hot!”</p><p>“She pulled my hair!”</p><p>“I can’t find my pom-pom!”</p><p>“This is too hard!”</p><p>"Killua gave me a wedgie!"</p><p>“<em>Okay,</em> this is a mess.” Pairo stood in front of everyone, “<em>everyone stop</em>!” he shouted. This was the angriest Leorio’s ever seen him, because the room ceased their poorly done formation within seconds. “You guys can barely even do the most basic stunts and you expect to win anything?”</p><p>“And you thought <em>I</em> was the aggressive one?” Kurapika mumbled. Leorio sputtered, speechless.</p><p>Pietro quietly handed out water bottles and towels, keeping his lips sealed out of fear of getting his head ripped off. This turned from an innocent rehearsal session to a boot camp in under an hour.</p><p>“We have until two o’clock to come up with something, people!” Pairo swayed, “it’s eleven-thirty. So far, half of us got hurt doing <em>one </em>elevator stunt. We have a lot to work with!"</p><p>“Forgive me for interrupting,” Bill said, “but I think the room’s too small and can barely hold more than thirty people. We have the size of two classes in here."</p><p>“He has a point…” Oito assented, “and the children are complaining that it’s too hot. It's making them antsy."</p><p><em>“Dios,</em> it’s like ninety degrees in here.” Leorio huffed, “we’re supposed to practice in this kind of heat?”</p><p>“What should we do then?!" Pairo asked, “the more we stall the less time we have to come up with something that isn’t a load of poo!”</p><p>"Hehe, poo." Killua snorted.</p><p>“The field should have space!” Natasha said. "We can bring the radio outside, find a spot under the shade and practice!"</p><p>“More room.” Kurapika agreed, “the only downside is that we won’t be in a cool environment.”</p><p>"I wanna have lunch first!" The kids whined.</p><p>“We can have lunch outside! Everyone get your stuff!” Pairo directed them out the doors as soon as they scattered back to their seats to grab all their things, everyone groaning because <em>outside</em> was the place they last wanted to go to. “Out! Out! Out!”</p><p>They were more attentive to his teaching when they pissed him off the first time. They never ate their lunch so fast.</p><p>Leorio would’ve been fine with doing this if it didn’t involve so much <em>lifting</em>. Thankfully, it didn’t do too much trouble. Still, he had sensitive joints that started to bite him back in the ass around the tenth practiced routine where they were forming an actual solid cheer routine involving the basic motions such as clasps and broken T’s, V’s, and touchdowns. Not to mention after the cheering portion they were supposed to have some kind of freestyle segment where everyone would do hip-hop style street dancing. Sometimes he forgot he was getting <em>old </em>as much as he hated to admit it and he can't just do any krumping without feeling the ache flare up in his tendons.</p><p>With space on the field, they had room for performing stunts but none of them were too advanced. If anything, Kurapika and Pairo were the ones doing all the crazy handsprings and backflips while the rest of them were stuck in the base position (“it might be simple but don’t let that fool you, each and every single stunt relies on your physical strength. So <em>don’t </em>mess this up.” Pairo warned Leorio, and his face paled, realizing now that he agreed to this he can’t back out anymore.)</p><p>“I can see why you did it.” Pietro sat on a cooler, shades above his head as they took a five-minute break. “I remember in high school we always snuck in the gym to see hot cheerleaders do their thing.”</p><p>“This is different!” Leorio whispered.</p><p>“The cute pom-poms sound familiar?”</p><p>Watching Kurapika and Pairo shout nonsense like “go boars!” followed by their rehearsed chant that definitely activated the horny teenager laid dormant inside him.</p><p>“I see you staring at Mr. Kurta.” Killua glared at Leorio, “pervert.”</p><p>“I’m not staring!”</p><p>“I saw you. You’re only doing this just to be an old pervert.”</p><p>“T-That is not true!”</p><p>“Then it’s because you’re jealous? Of <em>Mister Steal Your Man?</em>” Pietro smirked, a hand resting on his chin. “Go boars, am I right?”</p><p>“Who’s side are you on?!”</p><p>The thing was that Killua wasn’t even commenting on Bill and Kurapika interacting normally but <em>only </em>when Leorio just so happened to. All the guy did was stand there and give stupid little input and Leorio had to be forced into base position with him. Maybe he’s overreacting, but the favor shifted to Bill when he did something remotely cool and everyone cheered him on for the bare minimum but when Leorio attempted the same thing he almost broke his back and had to be benched with Pietro for a good five minutes before it was okay to practice again.</p><p>Every now and then Gon shouted for Leorio and Pietro’s attention to show off some cool new trick that Pairo taught them. Oito went around finding any dropped pom-poms because they were bound to lose at least a dozen more things on the field. Bill stood there, like a motherfucker— (“he’s literally just breathing, you know.” “He can’t fucking fool me for a second. I know what he’s doing.” “Being an actual dedicated helper?” “You know what I mean!") The temperature was steadily rising by the hour. He’s sure <em>he </em>was the next person to faint of a heatstroke.</p><p>“You hate cheerleading, and you’re actually doing it.”</p><p>“I’m not gonna sit there and watch <em>him </em>get to toss them around and wear stupid pom-poms alone.”</p><p>Pietro cackled, “you look fucking stupid wearing them.”</p><p>“Shut your ass up before I put you back in a hospital bed.”</p><p>“You love me too much to do that <em>pinche pendejo</em>.”</p><p>“I will turn off the life support you bitch ass motherfucker."</p><p>“Break time over!”</p><p>“Yay!” Gon’s overly excited as he and Alluka jiggled their little pom-poms around. “C’mon Killua!”</p><p>“W-Wait for me!” Killua scrambled up to his feet to follow him, Nanika followed as well. Ponzu and Canary are going over the routine as slowly as possible with Komugi, Pokkle and Zushi doing cartwheels. The other children distract themselves by playing around on the field because for them sitting in one place for a second was a concept that didn’t exist, Leorio’s pretty sure they didn’t take an actual break.</p><p>Pairo put on the music and clapped his hands, standing in formation with them. “Five, six, seven, eight!”</p><p>Two o’clock never rolled around so quickly. After a quick lunch and bathroom break, all teams were told to assemble in the gymnasium and wait outside until their turn. So far, they’ve gotten a solid routine down. It only took about… four hours of grueling practice, at least two and a half without interruptions, but Pairo proved to be an excellent choreographer. It’s okay, they’re not meant to take this seriously— but<em> fuck</em>, did the red team really floor the entire gym with their performances. Each of them unique in their own ways, stunting on their competitors flawlessly.</p><p>The blue team participants were running into the gym to show off their performances one by one and slowly time was ticking until it was their turn, so they did last-minute rehearsals at the back corridors of the gym, preparing themselves. </p><p>It was a riot out there judging by the noise.</p><p>Pairo called a group huddle. “Alright everyone, we have… come incredibly far in under three hours. And… I’m not even entirely sure we know everything there is that’s needed to know. But that’s fine. We can always learn as we go, right?” They nodded, “Leorio please don’t break another bone during the performance, we can’t afford to lose this title. Are you sure you’re okay with being base?”</p><p>“I… can’t make any promises.” Leorio said, “I’m not even a hundred percent sure.”</p><p>“He’s gonna fall and die.” Killua said, “you should’ve just kept him on the bench.”</p><p>“Hey! You little brat—”</p><p>“Okay! I’ll take what I can get!” Pairo responded brightly, “Bill?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Bill nodded. “I got this.”</p><p>“Oito?”</p><p>“...I might’ve spent the majority of my high school years watching these kinds of things from the sidelines, but I used to want to be an aspiring actress… so I know how to put on a performance.” She said determinedly.</p><p>“Kurapika? You’re one of our main stuntmen here.”</p><p>“Red team can bring it.” Kurapika said. "They can put on a show, but we can do better."</p><p>“Let’s do this!” Killua put a hand in first, which was a first for everyone. Gon joined in, and then everyone else. Some of them had their pompoms on, until their hands were stacked in a pile they shouted “<em>osu!</em>” in unison.</p><p>"Masks!"</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>"Gloves!"</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>"Pom-poms?"</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>"Alright!" Pairo shouted, "<em>let's go!"</em></p><p>“Next we have Mr. Kurta and Mr. Lukso’s classes, Room 102 and 104, from the <em>blue </em>team!”</p><p>It’s time.</p><p>Leorio gulped. He slipped on his blue fingerless gloves and his hat, switching the cap on backwards. Lifting the mask over his head.</p><p>He and Kurapika looked at each other, giving a silent nod of encouragement.</p><p>He hadn’t been this nervous since he took the medical school admissions exam… and this was extremely different, in many ways, the kind of nervousness of practicing for a sports tryout and not knowing what the Hell came next.</p><p>But if he did this… he’s a step closer to confessing to Kurapika.</p><p>He <em>had</em> to do this.</p><p>The other teachers who performed with their groups already wished them good luck.</p><p>"You guys got this, alright?" Pietro put a thumbs-up, "I admit I kinda regret not being part of this, but I know everyone's gonna love it."</p><p>"Thanks." Pairo breathed. He looked at Kurapika who held his hands and squeezed them tightly.</p><p>"Do what you do best, Pairo. We'll follow you."</p><p>He nodded, smiling brightly. "I love you."</p><p>They pressed their foreheads together briefly. "Love you too."</p><p>Kurapika had to stay behind according to plan, so he told everyone good luck until it was his time to show up.</p><p>Leorio's heart pounded in his chest. This was it.</p><p>They barreled into the gym from the back doors, entertaining the audience by shouting back at them as loud as they were the rest of their team cheering them on as they ran up to the front center floor. Their performance relies on their overall standing as a team, so every second counted.</p><p>They were all geared up for the dance battle in their signature team attire, blue face masks above their nose and fingerless gloves. Some of them holding pom-poms, baton sticks, and other flashy blue accessories. </p><p>It was also the very first time Pairo was taking the reins with so much <em>efficiency</em>, the way he paraded to the front of the stage. Everyone was waiting on his call. Even the children have stayed put, practically vibrating in nervous excitement. The noise died down, and now they were waiting patiently for what was to come of their performance.</p><p>“Let’s go Yorknew! Let’s go!” Pairo clapped in a rhythm, projecting his voice loud enough for the entire gym to hear. “Let’s go Yorknew! Let’s go!” They started clapping their hands shortly after, synchronizing after his lead.</p><p>“Let me hear you say Blue team go go!”</p><p>“Blue team go go!” The crowd chanted back. They spread their hands in a T-Motion, then a V, pumping their fists in the air and shifting over to one side. “Blue team go go! Yorknew go go!”</p><p>The blue team began drumming their feet against the benches, creating a temporary beat as they stomped on the ground. “Give me a I!” They shuffled together to start the basket toss, first, Alluka and Nanika went— lifting them in the air to spell out the “I” and part of the heart. Gon was lifted in the air next, the rest of them continuing the cheer by throwing their hands left, right, up, and down, cartwheeling across the gym. “Give me a heart!” They chorused proudly.</p><p>“Give me a Y! Give me an N!” Gon and Nanika created the heart sign, lastly, they carefully lifted Killua in the air as he leapt up into Bill and Leorio’s arms, he and Zushi made the “Y,” and lastly Canary and Ponzu made the “N” The crowd responded to their stunt with vigor. They were slowly carried back to the ground, stomping their feet again and clapping their hands.</p><p>“Go Boars go go!”</p><p>“Go Boars go go!”</p><p>The kids shook their pom-poms in the air. What the crowd failed to notice was that they deliberately shielded someone else from the crew the entire time as they were part of the next part of their performance, lined up on either side. They pumped their fists in the air, some shaking their pom-poms before they all twirled around and faced the front.</p><p>“Give me a B!” Leorio shouted next.</p><p>“B!”</p><p>“Give me a L!”</p><p>“L!” They pumped a fist out for every letter, “Give me a U! Give me an E! What team?!”</p><p>“Blue team!”</p><p>“What team?!”</p><p>“Blue team!”</p><p>The crowd dispersed quickly, revealing none other than Kurapika. A dramatic entrance into the cheer circle, lifting his head from his hidden, crouched position. They froze in their positions.</p><p>He sauntered up to the front of the line and raised his hands in the air.</p><p><em>"Let's go blue team let's go!"</em> Kurapika shouted, they echoed his words. "Cue the music!" Leorio thought he wanted to marry this man immediately.</p><p>The music began playing.</p><p>An upbeat, Korean hip hop<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJQaUW36pMw"><strong> song</strong></a> blasted off the speakers and the crowd screamed.</p><p><em>I'm tryna give you something more </em>the vocals bled through the gym.</p><p>Kurapika made a come-hither motion with both his hands, slowly moving his hips to the slowed tempo. He ran his fingers through his hair and spread his hands across his knees dropping to a crouch. <em>So come with me and fly away, away, away, away...</em></p><p>The tension increased as the beat steadily quickened, higher and higher...</p><p>He jumped up and stomped both his feet to the ground.</p><p>Everyone around Kurapika leaned back and dropped to the floor as soon as the beat dropped at the snap of both his fingers, spinning around in a seated position and standing up. He was the only one in the circle that broke into his own pop and lock moves and everyone cried out in triumph.</p><p>It's a first they get to see their favorite teachers bust a move like this and the second they saw Kurapika they <em>lost </em>it.</p><p>Instantly, the remainder of the group spread out and broke into a freestyle jive as the rap verses cut in.</p><p>Kurapika took Leorio's hand, jumped in his arms and tossed his head back, doing a half-circle before he let go and spun around. Bill slid against the ground, rising up and pulling off a boogaloo. The kids shuffled around with hand gestures attempting to diss the red team, sticking their tongues out and shaking their pom-poms in their faces. Gon cartwheeled across the gym and fell into a split, springing up and walking in place on the balls of his feet.</p><p>They paraded further up the gym, stomping their feet to the ground with each step and clapping their hands. Bouncing on the balls of their feet during the march. They stopped to form a circle for Oito to climb up and toss her in the air, landing gracefully in the circle. They pointed their left punch toward the crowd on their side, and turned to the right side to flaunt their stunts and taunt them.</p><p>Pairo did a couple handsprings across the gym and it made them go <em>wild</em>. They started moving in a krumping fashion, broken movements that stutter and stop, pushing their bodies forward as they smoothly moved across the gym floors.</p><p>They’ve managed to incorporate a bit of breakdancing into the cheer routine while sticking to the traditional routine of lifting and basket toss stunts, allowing the kids the spotlight of lifting them first and showing off their dancing moves, cartwheels, headstands, and headspins. Gon and Killua lead the other children in the dance segment, the adults on the team backed them mirroring their acrobatic dance moves. They gathered to lift Komugi in the air and toss her high for an X-Toss and the pyramid closed in to cradle her again. It was her wish to be involved in a basket toss because she never knew if she'd ever get the chance to, so Pairo made sure they'd do it.</p><p>They move in quick-rapid movements, jerking from one side to the other, swaying hips and shifting footwork as they bent their knees and lift their arms. It's insane, how people normally composed like Bill, Oito, or Natasha, knew how to pop and lock with finesse under just a few hours. Almost like all their current versions of themselves averted to a whole new persona of a hip-hop dance troupe.</p><p>To the audience, however, surprisingly this looked coherent to follow. They shuffled into an arch and Killua did a front-flip over it, making the audience holler loudly. </p><p>The children tumbled and somersaulted around the circle, Kurapika lifted up by Bill and kicking a leg in the air before he fell back into Leorio’s arms, twirling around and being raised up— dipped back and far as he could, until he sprung into the backflip with a single hand gracefully landing on the ground.</p><p>They dispersed and split into groups to form various different shapes, stunts, and tosses— moving quickly on their feet to keep up with the fast tempo of the song. Kurapika was lifted back in their hold and their signature move yet was when they tossed him high in the air, the crowd awed when another circled formed just quick enough on the other end to catch him in time. They lifted him and flipped him over to land on his feet, coming together and grooving their hips along to the rhythm before they abruptly halted to a stop once the song had ended.</p><p>The crowd erupted with cheers, at least, on the blue team’s side. The red team, not so much.</p><p>The decision from the judges was so agonizing, all of them were practically holding each other’s hands when they brought out the scoreboard keeping record of both teams.</p><p>“And the winner is…” The head faculty gathered around the scoreboard. Pariston holding the microphone, “drumroll please!”</p><p>Each team waited with bated breath.</p><p>Leorio felt a droplet of sweat bead down his forehead, even Pietro— who hadn’t even participated in the dance contest at all was on the edge of his seat. The kids’ eyes shimmered full of hope.</p><p>“This is it…” Pairo whispered, holding hands with Kurapika. Oito had her hands clasped together in front of her face. Bill stood there, rigid and impatiently waiting. Leorio swallowed hard.</p><p>It was like time wasn’t moving at all.</p><p>He completely missed it when Cheadle happily stated, “<em>GO BLUE TEAM!” </em>and his ears rang due to the deafening cheers coming from the left side of the gymnasium. Groans and frowning coming from the teachers and students of the red team for losing the round.</p><p>“We won?” Killua asked, barely processing this at all, either.</p><p>“We won!” Gon said, the twinkle in his eyes.</p><p>“YEAH!”</p><p>“WOOHOO!”</p><p>Everyone bombarded each other with hugs and excited high-fives, practically barrelling into each other. The visible relief that flooded over them shared, their high hopes returned in their favor. Pietro and Leorio embraced each other, Pairo and Kurapika hugged happily. The kids gathered around the adults, the teachers showering them with praise for their hard work and congratulating them on helping them win.</p><p>Before Leorio knew it he was being scooped into a strong group hug between him, Kurapika, and Pietro, Bill and Oito included— jumping enthusiastically over their earned victory.</p><p>He never felt this relaxed in <em>years</em>, and it just happened to be because they won a silly dance contest during a school festival. For once, he could forget about the woes of his constantly busy, tedious life, and just <em>live</em>— be part of something more like <em>this</em>. Being so carefree, with the opportunity to seize the day and change the world in his very hands. He didn’t realize he was shedding a few tears because he was so <em>happy</em>.</p><p>“Dad?!” Gon asked, “why are you crying?!”</p><p>“I’m just—” he sniffled, “so— so proud of us, so happy!”</p><p>“Huh.” Pietro frowned.</p><p>“Victory is a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” Oito smiled.</p><p>“Sure is.” Bill nodded in approval, patting Leorio on the back. “It’s okay. Let it out.”</p><p>Kurapika and Pairo laughed, Leorio practically sobbing his eyes out and he wasn’t the only one who felt sentimental this time around.</p><p>Killua wordlessly offered him a tissue.</p><p>“Thanks, buddy.”</p><p>“Hmph. You look ugly when you cry. So dry the tears away so I don’t have to look at it.”</p><p>“You brat…” Leorio whispered fondly.</p><p>Leorio watched Kurapika ruffle Killua’s hair and hold his cheeks together, drowning out the sound of victorious cries around him.</p><p>He desperately wanted to thank him, for helping him realize that <em>he was the future </em>that Leorio desired all along. A future of past burdens he could let go of, and just <em>be</em>, in the moment.</p><p>The possibilities of it all working out seemed infinite.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They didn’t leave the school until late at night, staying behind after Pairo did the favor of dropping the kids off with Mito so they could clean up and prepare the school for tomorrow. There were only a few faculty members willing to wait and stay behind for a few hours longer to put things back in place where they’d need to be— while everyone else was just dying to go home bound to collapse in exhaustion. There’s a lot of work that happened behind the scenes after the kids were dismissed Leorio didn’t know about until now, and because he didn’t want Kurapika to handle this busy task alone he offered to lend a hand and told Pairo and Pietro they could take the kids and go home.</p><p>He offered to walk Kurapika to his car in the parking lot. The crickets chirped silently, their only company as they were one of the last few to leave the school building. It’s fascinating, how a building usually so crowded in the morning and full of life and chatter quickly faded into comforting silence. Dimmed lights, hushed conversations, and their echoing footsteps as they walked down the halls.</p><p>“School ends next week, huh?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Leorio stared up at the stars. “Time flies. Just a moment ago I was so nervous bringing Gon here. Now when I look at him… it looks like he’s at home.”</p><p>“I hope he returns,” Kurapika said, “even if he is no longer my student.” He said that a little quieter.</p><p>“It’s funny, because I can’t imagine anyone else being their teacher other than you.”</p><p>Kurapika snorted, “I don’t know how I’ll manage to part with them so fast. Honestly.” he breathed, a flicker of dread in his voice. “They grow up so fast.”</p><p>“I know. There’s nothing we can do other than make sure they grow right.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Kurapika said. Leorio blinked down at him. He shut his eyes, averting his gaze as he folded his arms to warm himself from the slightly cool and gentle breeze, “for… helping us.”</p><p>“What, to do this stuff?” Leorio mimicked all the dance moves they did during the cheer routine with a few extra stuff he added in smoothly mixed in. Kurapika laughed, watching him goofily dance in the parking lot. “Yeah I thought it’d be a drag… but it ain’t all that bad. I love a good dance.”</p><p>“Do you?”</p><p>“Yeah! I got some moves, Kurta.” Kurapika rolled his eyes as he moonwalked and slid his hands in a robotic motion, smirking at him. “And the moves <em>you </em>pulled off? I didn’t think you’d have it in you.”</p><p>“W-What’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>“I liked it!” Leorio tugged Kurapika by the hand and forced him to dance with him, “feels like we’re in <em>Step Up</em>, or something.”</p><p>Kurapika cackled, letting himself go along with Leorio’s ridiculous dancing movements as they twirled around and danced under the stars. “You’re an idiot.”</p><p>“You once dated this idiot.”</p><p>“<em>Boo.</em>” Kurapika stuck his tongue out, shoving Leorio back and stopped dancing with him. “I knew you were able to dance, but I didn't think you were a <em>good </em>dancer. First skateboarding, and now breakdancing. What else don't I know about you?"</p><p>"Guess you'll just have to find out." Leorio winked.</p><p>"Asshole." Kurapika huffed. "Cheerleading was such nonsense, was it? If you tagged along because you were jealous of Bill again I assure you you are making an utter fool out of yourself. We’re only friends.”</p><p>Leorio blushed. “I know that! But still! I wanted to impress you."</p><p>“If that was enough to get you to join us maybe I should do it more often.” Kurapika teased. “I know his free schedules.”</p><p>“...gimme a break already…” Leorio grumbled, they had a bit of an awkward bonding moment today, so he didn’t think the dude was all that much of a douchebag. “Well today kinda changed my mind. I… had <em>fun</em>.” He confessed, just as he stopped dancing but he walked backwards in front of Kurapika. They both walked very slowly, wanting to take in the moment of the warm summer breeze and it just being their shared company, and that alone.</p><p>"You really helped our team."</p><p>"N-No... if anything, I think it was Pairo." They both laughed, "dude was a beast. He was like a better version of Sparky Polastri, but he still mowed our asses to the ground with all that practice. I didn't think we'd be able to pull it off! Then we killed it out there, and Gon and Killua were great, and <em>you </em>were great. <em>We </em>were great!"</p><p>Kurapika laughed aloud, the most gorgeous sound that sounded like a melody in his ears, "he's amazing, truly. He's everything who I wanted to be like when we were younger."</p><p>Leorio smiled fondly. Kurapika noticed the silence that stretched in-between at his raw honesty, and changed the subject.</p><p>“Did you have a good time here?” Kurapika asked, “at Yorknew, in general?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Leorio nodded. “I did.”</p><p>“And if I’m not Gon’s teacher anymore…” he whispered, “...would you still stick around?”</p><p>“What’s between us isn’t about them.” Leorio reassured him, “it’s about us.”</p><p>“But they are the reason we’re still here.” Not <em>together</em>, but <em>here</em>. Gon and Killua would continue to grow throughout grade school and move over to middle school, soon, they’d be graduating. At the end of the day, Kurapika was their teacher for a seasonal term, and then they’d possibly part ways, if not meeting once or twice, Leorio wouldn’t have a reason to stick around as much either.</p><p>But he wanted to.</p><p>They both knew as long as Gon and Killua were together, the four of them were inseparable, them and all their friends. After tonight, he didn't think he'd forget the past three days like this until the day he died.</p><p>He couldn’t imagine a future without Kurapika.</p><p>“Don’t tell me you’re gonna give up on us that easily, Sunshine.” Leorio teased. Kurapika blinked, face flushed red.</p><p>“I-I’m just being reasonable!”</p><p>“I haven’t.” Leorio murmured. Kurapika blinked. “I meant it when I said I’d make you fall for me.”</p><p>“You’re unbelievably insolent.”</p><p>“You’re undeniably stubborn.”</p><p>“Tomorrow.” Kurapika said, stepping closer. “Tomorrow, at the end of the day. We have a school picnic after the sports festival is over…” his blush deepened, “you have until then.”</p><p>“Okay.” Leorio smiled.</p><p>Tomorrow.</p><p>
  <em>I’ll have you be mine again.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>any of my bring it on/step up/whatever dance movie you seen out there type fans yall know whats up!! cuz i busted my ass tryna figure out a cool cheer/dance routine for them... i was a former dancer myself in grade school so i know the pressure LMAO. the cheer routine was hip hop and cheer combined!!! in case anyone didn't listen the song they danced to was NUNU NANA by Jessi... hehe :)</p><p>this is my fic I GET TO ADD ALL THE TROPES. we don't get enough of pairo being like ok yall bitches move over a king is taking over</p><p>as for the returning cameos, this is a bill and oito supremacy zone, respect it and join me. i think they all make a pretty good squad.</p><p>ANYWAYS STAY TUNED FOR LEOPIKA CONFESSION IN THE NEXT WEEK! see you next tuesday! </p><p>Next chapter: Finale :(</p><p>Follow me where I give updates on this fic, listen to my playlist, and feel free to ask me things on my CC! ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. always follow your doctor's orders</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the sports festival comes to a thrilling conclusion, and Leorio makes his final decision.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“And then I told him tomorrow. <em>Tomorrow</em>.” Kurapika paced around his apartment kitchen, where Pairo, Melody, Oito, Bill, oh yeah, and Bill’s boyfriend— Makoto, was seated around the table like some book club because Pairo had invited all of them over (despite this place being <em>Kurapika’s </em>apartment) for drinks and to bitch about the exhaustion of running an entire sports festival for a fucking week straight.</p><p>So far, he had let none of them speak a single word while they stared at him in different levels of concern. An opened bottle of rose Moscato on the table and glasses ranging from half-finished to finished, listening attentively. “I told him at the school picnic is basically when he can <em>confess </em>to me. He’s going to confess to me <em>tomorrow</em>.” Kurapika laughed hysterically, “<em>I’m so calm. </em>Don’t worry. I’m entirely calm about this.”</p><p>Pairo opened his mouth to speak, then Kurapika sat down in his chair and poured himself another glass and took a courageous sip. “It’s not like I’ve been waiting for this for an entire month. It’s a good thing I told him, right? What if he ended up forgetting? Then I’d just look like an idiot. Why am I getting so worked up over a confession anyway this isn’t fucking middle school I don’t have to <em>sit here </em>and panic over whether my student’s parent who I was unceremoniously having sexual relations with without telling his son we were… romantically involved, and then I insulted his dead fiance in front of him without knowing he basically just killed a patient at work and had an overall terrible week, who just so happens to want to be in a relationship with me. Anyways I didn’t mean to deter the topic so much.”</p><p>“Are you done being <em>Extra Pika</em>?” Pairo asked knowingly.</p><p>“I’m done being extra.” Kurapika said, sighing. He drank some more, then placed it on the table. “Actually I’m not, this is a bad idea. He’s not going to confess to me. I’m going to look like a fucking idiot hoping for something that’s never going to happen.”</p><p>“It feels like I have missed an outrageous amount of drama going on in this circle,” Makoto said, Bill’s arm wrapped around him, “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”</p><p>“Because I had no idea either.” Bill replied.</p><p>“Due to the fact that I’m working directly under Mr. Paladiknight and Dr. Figueroa while maintaining a friendship outside of work, I single-handedly know every uncomfortable detail of his escapades.” Oito said, “however, this is the first time I’m hearing this from Kurapika’s perspective.”</p><p>“This is basically lounge room talk...” Melody joked.</p><p>“I just gave you a crash course!” Kurapika said, “on the disaster that is currently my love life! And it’s very nice to meet you, Makoto. I thought Bill was single, no offense Bill I love you very much. But this is a complete and utter surprise to me.”</p><p>“He gets that a lot. Don’t sweat it.” Makoto responded casually, “it’s such a shame though I mean <em>look at him</em>, he can put every gigolo to shame with that face!” he playfully curled his finger under Bill’s chin sweetly and Bill politely put his hand down.</p><p>“I should have, uh.” Bill cleared his throat, a slight blush on his cheeks, “Established that… I am in fact, in a committed relationship.”</p><p>“Leorio’s throwing up and crying right now.” Pairo cackled, “dude, I thought it would be obvious by now.”</p><p>“You mean…” Oito said worriedly, “no one’s actually told him yet?”</p><p>“Most of us didn’t know.” Melody reasoned, “that is until we met Makoto ourselves.”</p><p>“I saw his Instagram, thanks Pairo,” Pairo replied with a happy “no problem bestie,” to that as Makoto began speaking, “I found it interesting. This guy can bench press anyone he wanted and I can see why any lucky fella who’s his patient would fold in seconds at the sight of him, not comparable to my Bill but I see some of the appeal, and he was threatened by my boyfriend of all people?”</p><p>No one could really respond to why that <em>is</em>— Leorio made all the dads in the school feel self-conscious as all <em>Hell</em>, and he felt threatened by Bill’s presence. If anything, it was God damn hilarious to witness. “He’s down bad.” Makoto concluded, “the scenario itself could be an entire case study, as someone who does case studies for a living as a researcher, and I’d like to study your eye candy, Kurapika.”</p><p>“Okay listen! It’s either he confesses to me tomorrow or he doesn’t,” Kurapika averted the topic to the real crisis at hand, “one thing I know is that I can’t stand us being in this constant limbo of bad habits and breaking them because his family relies on where <em>we </em>stand. It’s not like I can just dip my foot out of this and run for the hills.”</p><p>“Pika, school ends officially on <em>Monday.</em>” Pairo claimed, “it’s a fifty-fifty chance he’s gonna grow some balls and tell you how he feels. He might, or he might not. And that’s okay, you have an entire summer and another semester to figure it out. But you can’t keep running forever, <em>you</em> need to decide if this is really what <em>you </em>want.”</p><p>“I do.” Kurapika confessed, “I do I do I do I <em>do </em>more than anything,” they say that second chances work the second time around, maybe a third time was the charm, because not every love story was perfect. He just couldn’t help but feel like time was quickly running out and a ticking time bomb was threatening to detonate if he didn’t kick his feelings into gear and give Leorio an ultimatum.</p><p>He didn’t want to run anymore, he wanted to end the chase and fall into his arms and make sure he never let go— because he wanted to put faith in the fact that this could all work.</p><p>“I have faith in Mr. Paladiknight,” Oito said, “one thing I’m sure of is that he never lets go of a true challenge. He faces it head on.”</p><p>“...We might have not had the best impressions made on each other, whatever that odd reasoning may be…” Bill spoke up, “but I notice that he tends to bring you nothing but contentment, and you do the same for him.”</p><p>“Do you feel that you’re meant to be?” Melody asked.</p><p>No matter what had happened, with Kikyo and Killua, with Sonny, Gon’s mother— they somehow found their way back to each other. In desperate times after all, they always found the most comfort in being together.</p><p>“We only have one day to find out.” Kurapika said.</p><p>Makoto raised his glass, “then to waiting it out.” He proposed a toast. They picked up their glasses, clinking them together.</p><p>One day left.</p><p>One day that will change everything.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The final day of the sports festival dawned upon them so quickly Kurapika didn’t even realize that the week was already over. They’re called into the gym for their morning announcements, and there’s no spontaneous performances yet or anything of the matter. Just everyone seated at the benches, excited, but there’s some sort of gloom hanging in the air that their fun moments would be so short-lived.</p><p>Bill and Oito were sitting with them already. Some people were still coming into the gym to join their team members and groups, and waiting on their captains running late. They're still required to wear their team colors, and Kurapika's class came in different accessories today.</p><p>"Is Mr. Paladiknight coming?" Zushi asked.</p><p>"I'm not sure..." Kurapika bit his lip. They only worked one night shift this week. Surely they weren't called in last-minute to cover an early morning shift. His class was waiting on them since they were the last of their team to show up.</p><p>"They got fifteen minutes." Pairo said, he was standing, hands on his hips as he directed his class to their seats next to Kurapika's class on the benches. "They better hurry it up."</p><p>"It's the last day! My dad promised he'd come!" Gon said, "he's just getting us snacks and stuff!"</p><p>Kurapika kept looking to the doorway hoping they'd show up. The morning announcements were going to start soon.</p><p>"I just got a text." Oito said, "they're on their way. It's just traffic."</p><p>Kurapika let out a sigh of relief. "I appreciate you guys coming again."</p><p>"Don't worry about it." Bill replied, "sorry Makoto couldn't make it, though. He has work, but he would've loved to meet everyone here."</p><p>"I'm sure he'd fit right in." Kurapika joked. He smiled when he saw Leorio and Pietro arrive a little shortly when everyone got settled in with bags in their hands, probably the snacks they mentioned they'd stop by to get for everyone.</p><p>"Got room for two more members?" Leorio asked.</p><p>"Mr. Paladiknight!" The kids beamed. Leorio high-fived them all. </p><p>"What's up, punks?!"</p><p>"You're playing with us today?" Killua asked, surprised. </p><p>"A teammate that plays hooky is no teammate." Pietro winked at them. He fist-bumped Gon.</p><p>"I'm glad you made it." Kurapika said, Leorio seated next to him in a short-sleeved, black open button-down and a dark blue tank top nearly hanging off his shoulders because of the hot weather.</p><p>"Good thing I had one more shirt left to go." He joked. "You didn't think I'd ditch after the first three days, would you?"</p><p>"Y-You have a busy life."</p><p>"As much as I hate it now, I loved these things as a teenager." Leorio said, "I wanna relive it again."</p><p>They smiled at each other.</p><p>It wasn’t fully quiet, but murmurs filled the gym when Cheadle stepped in front of the microphone. She let out a deep sigh.</p><p>“Good morning and hello everyone,” she said, “I always hate to say this. And I’ve been doing this for over sixteen years, it <em>still </em>hurts me every single time. Unfortunately… today is the <em>final </em>day of the sports festival.”</p><p>The response coming from the crowd was reasonable. For the students, these five days was their chance of escapism— an aching need to get away from their miserable lives at home and connect with people they belong and can be themselves with. For that neverending bliss to come to an end was heartbreaking, even for the staff members, and they were going to mourn this event just as much as they were.</p><p>“Aw man!” Leorio was shocked as well, the person who Kurapika would least expect to become so attached, “already?!”</p><p>“Four days are up, just like that,” Pietro folded his arms, “sad…” </p><p>All good things come to an end, eventually. “I thought you’d be glad,” Kurapika teased. “Much relaxation for you.”</p><p>“But it gave me an excuse to keep me away from work! Being a doctor ain’t always the most fun thing in the world!”</p><p>Cheadle sniffled into the mic, and as a first, she was allowing Pariston to take the reins with the morning announcements.</p><p>“I know, cruel,” Pariston huffed, “why can’t we just have something like this for as long as we can?” They screamed in approval at that idea, although that was only a hopeful suggestion and nothing more. “As you all know, school is officially ending as of next week, Monday. So you’d still have to report back to class after you’ve had all your fun.” There was groaning at that, and he chuckled. “But! We have a day left! So we’re going to spend it having as much fun as we can. We’d have to say goodbye to each other very soon, so make sure you spend each second together like it counts. Hug, kiss, confess your undying love if you have to. Trust me, you may never get the chance until next year.” As if the universe didn’t have to give Kurapika a reason to be more anxious about today.</p><p>“The games will commence as usual,” Morel explained next, “however, today’s gonna be a little different. On our final day of color wars, and our last day of the festival. Teachers of Yorknew! Listen up! It’s your time to shine! This afternoon you’ll have plenty of time to train with your classes, have a little fun, enjoy the warm summer day out together, ‘cause you’ll be facing each other while your class cheers you on. You’re competing for a class trophy! The one thing you’ve all been waiting for!” Everyone seated cheered happily.</p><p>“Like Principal Netero said,” Bisky added, “everyone gets a trophy even if they win or lose. But the winner just gets a fancier one, so first place’s only just a little bit important! But I know some of you out there are still in it for the crown and that’s fine! Every score we’ve been keeping track of throughout the competition. So far, the Blue team’s still in the lead!”</p><p>“HECK YEAH!” Killua cheered, and the kids started high-fiving each other. Pietro smirked, Leorio pumping his fist in the air and Kurapika smiling.</p><p>“We’d like to give everyone a break today with a picnic after the games are over. So according to schedule, once the final round is over dismissal will be taking place outside. I hope everyone’s brought their blankets and towels and plenty of things to play with. We’ve made it so far, and we couldn’t be anymore proud of everyone for their hard work they’ve accomplished in the course of this week.” Cheadle was the last to make her speech, then she handed the microphone to Morel, “Morel?” she smiled.</p><p>Morel took a hold of the microphone, shouting “<em>LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED</em>!” and music blared off the speakers of the gym. Confetti poppers were then released into the air, and everyone left the bench to run toward the gym floor and dance.</p><p>Instead of starting the morning with breakout games, they were given a brief moment to dance freely with each other and spend time doing something unrelated to any of the sports activities at all— just living in the moment. Kurapika watched the way Leorio was wrapped around in party streamers, a large grin on his face, and the way it made his heart skip a beat.</p><p><em>I don’t want this to end</em>, he thought fearfully. How Killua’s the brightest he’s ever shined when he was with the people he loved. Streamers danced in the air, confetti had fallen on them, even the head faculty was letting loose. Simply letting <em>go</em>, hands in the air and swaying along to the music. Like this very gym was their safe haven, knowing that they were here, and safe and sound. Kurapika watched the way his friends were dancing without a care in the world, gentle smiles on their faces. The kids were living out their youth, when Leorio took his hands and dragged him to dance with him. Jumping on the balls of their feet as if they were teenagers.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t want this to end.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I wish this could go on forever.</em>
</p><p>Something about Leorio being here, made this all feel more special. And he’s had many sports festivals in his years of working here, but nothing could compare to the sentiment he felt welling in his chest that something like this, couldn’t be replicated again. Only better, or just the same as it’d always been.</p><p>The timer started now, and it’s ticking.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The schedule went from games in the morning after their farewell party, which was very well-spent— it had felt like a fever dream, to preparing for the afternoon tournament which would be the last.</p><p>“The basketball thing’s only gonna be adults,” Pairo announced when they were on the outside basketball court while they still had two hours left of their free period, their classes were free to spend their recess doing whatever as long as they remained near their teachers, “so we have a problem. We can’t practice without enough players.”</p><p>“How many people do we need?” Leorio questioned.</p><p>“A basketball team’s got eleven players.” Bill explained, “since they mentioned only the teachers are participating in the final game, with the exception of volunteers, there would only be five of us.”</p><p>“People have to sub in and out then, huh?” Pietro asked. “Any of the other teachers can swap in?”</p><p>“They’re all on teams already.” Kurapika answered.</p><p>“Well we can’t show up to a game without enough players!” Pairo said, “like before, we gotta improvise. If we don’t have enough players, we get more players. So c’mon, anyone got ideas? And I don’t even care if they’re shit at basketball.”</p><p>“I’d rather have us win that first place trophy.” Kurapika said, “so preferably, we need someone good at basketball.”</p><p>“Zepile played basketball in college.” Pietro said, and Leorio visibly grimaced.</p><p>“We’re really gonna invite him?”</p><p>“I know you’re still pissed at him about the car thing—”</p><p>“—<em>the making our kids go missing thing</em>, fuck yeah I am—” Kurapika pretended to ignore the way he mentioned <em>our kids </em>so naturally.</p><p>“—he’s been wanting to see what the hype’s been about. We told him that we’d be here. So why not?”</p><p>“Please, Leorio.” Kurapika said, “can he join us?”</p><p>“Okay, fine.” Leorio huffed. “Who else?”</p><p>“We can ask Wing and Kite.” Pairo suggested. “I don’t think they’re on any teams.”</p><p>“Perfect, who else?”</p><p>“Might be a longshot but… Mito’s off today.” Leorio said, “I can shoot her a text. Tell her to come down while we’re still having our freetime.”</p><p>“Wing, Kite, Mito, Zepile…” Kurapika listed all the team members, “that makes nine of us.”</p><p>“Oh my God!” Pairo gasped, hands on either side of his face. “I know who we can ask!”</p><p>“Who?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>Pairo smirked. “Fellas, I think we got our basketball team.”</p><p>“Wait…” Pietro said, and they all looked at him. “What about the kids? We’re supposed to watch them until two, that’s when the tournament starts.”</p><p>“Hey kids!” Leorio gathered their attention, and they stopped to stare at him. “Any of you guys up for a field trip?”</p><p>They blinked at him with wide eyes, another beat passed— and they were on board. Since all of them couldn’t come, the other half stayed with the other teachers until they gathered all their team members.</p><p>“Luckily we know someone who can hitch us a big enough ride.” Leorio said, lifting his phone.</p><p>“Well what are we waiting for?” Kurapika said, “let’s recruit our basketball team.” Everyone cheered.</p><p>“Are we going on an adventure?!” Gon asked.</p><p>“Somethin’ like that.” Leorio said. First, they grabbed Kite and Wing, who were working on a mural outside of the school because someone mentioned they weren’t inside their classrooms. Kurapika explained that they needed more people to swap in for their basketball team, however, with a promise to help them with their art project they’d consider it.</p><p>“Tell you what,” Kite said, “help us finish this mural and we’ll join your basketball team.”</p><p>“Fair enough.” Pairo shrugged.</p><p>So they put on white aprons splattered with paint, grabbed a can, paintbrush, and got to work on the mural. An entire class job made far more progress than just two people, Kite still treated this like any other art class session and guided them through painting the large mural that spanned across the wall of the building.</p><p>It knocked off about half an hour of their time since it was halfway finished. The finished mural was a painting of each zodiac representing their school board, which inspired their mascot for the athletic teams. They talked and danced while they worked. Everyone got a chance to work on different parts of the mural, as long as they were put to a single task whether it meant taking a trip back to the classroom— unfortunately, it was two floors up and back to restock on more paint and other equipment. It got them on their feet. An entire paint war broke out when Killua flicked paint at Nanika and the chain reaction spread out like a wildfire. Suddenly, Kurapika couldn’t command them to stop now. Even Kite and Wing were flicking paint at each other.</p><p>“Hey,” Leorio patted Kurapika on the shoulder.</p><p>“—<em>you </em>of all people should be stoppin— Leorio, don’t you<em> dare</em>—” Leorio swiped his brush that had been dipped into red paint across Kurapika’s nose, he gasped. He winked at the children who started giggling at them.</p><p>Kurapika dropped his can of paint. “Now you’ve done it.”</p><p>“Red looks good on you.” Leorio teased.</p><p>Kurapika caved. That was another fifteen minutes spent dicking around because the mural was covered up to dry in the meantime, it was a natural reaction of the kids to play around. But they had to get themselves cleaned up.</p><p>Zepile appeared at the front of the school building just in time.</p><p>...It was in an ice cream truck.</p><p>“Heard you guys needed more team members!” He exclaimed, “well hop on!”</p><p>“Are you selling ice cream?” Gon asked.</p><p>“I’m actually drivin’ it around for the day!” Zepile said, “so I’ve got plenty!”</p><p>The kids stormed the ice cream truck, everyone else getting on after.</p><p>“When I said we needed a ride,” Leorio began, as Zepile started making free ice cream for the kids, “<em>I didn’t mean an ice cream truck</em>.”</p><p>“I’m a busy man Leo, I’m always finding different ways to make a quick Jenny.”</p><p>“Where’d you get this truck, Zep?” Pietro asked knowingly, in a way that the kids wouldn’t know.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it.” Zepile winked.</p><p>“First a school bus, and now an ice cream truck?” Kurapika asked.</p><p>“So I’m assuming this truck was stolen.” Bill said, an acknowledgement more than a question.</p><p>“Oito, Bill, Wing, Kite, this is our buddy Zepile. He’s kind of a criminal, but hey, he’s smart about it.” Leorio introduced him to the rest of the group, and Zepile greeted them by handing them frozen ice cream sandwiches.</p><p>“What do you <em>do</em>?” Wing asked.</p><p>“Everything!” Zepile answered happily, “depending on the time and place, today, I deliver ice cream. In general, guess you can say I’m a businessman.”</p><p>“Uncle Zepile is the best!” Gon exclaimed to his friends, “he gives us cool stuff everyday!”</p><p>“Can we get more ice cream?!”</p><p>“Sure! As much as you want! But you’re bound to end up finishing everything.”</p><p>“Can you drop us off at Mito’s house?” Kurapika asked, awkwardly huddling at the front of the ice cream truck with his colleagues, “as much as we’d like to sit here and chit chat we have a game to practice for.”</p><p>Zepile saluted.</p><p>The ride was by no means a smooth one. Kurapika and Leorio were pressed up against each other, everyone awkwardly shuffled and jerked around in the bus. As long as the kids weren't complaining, then it was fine. They had their cold treats to snack on, and commented on the view through the only window on the truck next to the door.</p><p>Mito's house wasn't very far from Leorio's. They saw the <em>Freecs Preschool Daycare </em>sign on the grass in front of the two-story home and parked in front of the house.</p><p>Mito was greatly confused when she heard her doorbell ring and opened it to not only Gon and his friends, but Leorio, Zepile, Pietro, Kurapika, and his colleagues.</p><p>"We're having our sports festival," Kurapika said, "and we want you to join our basketball team."</p><p>She stared at all of them, shocked. "I…"</p><p>"C'mon auntie!" Gon jumped to her side, his friends followed. "It's gonna be super fun!"</p><p>"I heard you guys were having this carnival thing at school but…" she laughed, "what's going on?"</p><p>"It's the teachers going up against each other. We need a few helpers." Kurapika explained.</p><p>“Okay.” Mito spread her arms, “I’ll… I’ll do it!”</p><p>They whooped in triumph.</p><p>“Okay so we got Zepile and Mito.” Kurapika said when they piled into the ice cream truck, and everyone was waiting on Pairo’s next suggestion. “Who’s next?”</p><p>And that’s how they ended up across town in a place they never thought they’d go to again— a familiar street where there’d be nothing but sketchy bars and stores, except during the day it had a completely different feel to it much unlike the distinct atmosphere it had at night.</p><p>“Look!” Gon pointed out the window, “that’s the place we went to to play pool with those cool guys!”</p><p>“You guys went here?” Alluka asked.</p><p>“We did.” Killua smirked, “by ourselves.”</p><p>“No fair!” Nanika huffed, “you went on a trip without us!”</p><p>“Those damn brats stole my car, that’s what.” Leorio huffed. There was also the part where they had to awkwardly explain to them that a pizza delivery man dropping their kids off to their concerned parents and not Kurapika nor Leorio, was because they’d lost them.</p><p>“Stop right here.” Pairo said, pointing at the Black Whale.</p><p>The afternoon isn’t the busiest time of day for a tropical-themed bar such as this one. But it was happy hour, and guests shuffled in and out. So it certainly had its slow moments that picked up every few hours.</p><p>A bunch of bikers staring down a group of folks who definitely looked like they came from the <em>normie </em>part of town was to be expected, because they weren’t regulars.</p><p>“Hey everyone, sorry to like, bother what’s going on here.” Pairo stated.</p><p>“Pairo?” Theta stuck her head out from the back room. She and Morena approached them, confused by the whole ensemble gathered by the door.</p><p>“Field trip.” Leorio poorly explained why the kids were here with them.</p><p>“Hey bestie.” Pairo flashed a smile, “‘kay so, we need to form a basketball team by two o’clock this afternoon, stat, or we’re fucked. Since everyone’s booked, we had to leave the school to gather our team.”</p><p>“Basketball?” Morena asked.</p><p>“Sports festival.” Kurapika explained curtly, “we need two more team members.”</p><p>“Hey, hey, hey,” Tserriednich smoothly slid in-between the commotion, “I can’t just let my employees go when they’re still on the clock.”</p><p>“We’ll have them back by five?” Pairo convinced, “please?”</p><p>“No can do.”</p><p>“Can’t you just have like, someone cover for you?” Leorio asked, “we didn’t drive a giant ice cream truck all the way here to take a walk in the park.”</p><p>“Oito,” Tserriednich acknowledged her presence, “you’re in on this too?”</p><p>“Nice to see you too, Tserriednich.” Oito replied, “I promise you these people are friends of mine and mean no harm. We’re here to ask you a favor.”</p><p>“I can’t say I’m easily convinced.” Tserriednich said.</p><p>Pietro nudged Leorio, urging him to go for the bargaining route. Leorio sighed, fetching his wallet and pulling out a stack of neatly, rolled up Jenny, handing it over.</p><p>“How’s this to compensate?” He asked. Everyone else looked at Tserriednich silently as he contemplated. He arched a brow. Leorio added another stack of bills.</p><p>Tserriednich accepted it.</p><p>“Take the entire day off.” He told Morena and Theta, “I can get somebody else on schedule.”</p><p>Everyone exchanged elated high-fives and fist bumps.</p><p>“So we’ve got our team…” Kurapika said, counting everyone, “now we have two hours to practice.”</p><p>“Back to the mystery mobile!” Pairo said, directing them back to the ice cream truck where Zepile was patiently waiting. They rushed back into the vehicle in a single herd, with the adults trailing after them last.</p><p>“Am I allowed to ask why we’re basically being kidnapped?” Theta asked, “not that I’m complaining.”</p><p>“We’ll explain in context later,” Kurapika whispered.</p><p>They migrated to a local park nearby with their full team to practice. Even though the kids weren’t playing in the official game, they were allowed to be part of the practice sessions so they had something to do. Everyone except Morena, who opted to sit out and just be their cheerleader— would be on the court playing against the red team for the final game. Much against Pietro’s will Leorio told him that he can’t back out this time and he should grab a hold of his inhaler since he’ll need it. They didn’t have as much time unlike before. But there was a reason why Pairo contacted Theta specifically. Other than the fact that he told them they bonded at a Trader Joe’s (much less to Kurapika’s surprise, he somehow befriended <em>everyone</em> because he’s your personal phonebook) Theta actually used to be a basketball coach, a bodyguard, then a bartender— all three chronologically.</p><p>She used Zepile as her demonstration that she knew what the fuck she was talking about and they watched the poor guy get demolished on the court after she made effortless shots into the hoop, collared shirt removed and only standing there in a tank top and jeans making every other guy there feel slightly more insecure.</p><p>“The more you fucking know.” Leorio whispered to Kurapika.</p><p>Theta dribbled the basketball and held it in her hands. “So if we’re gonna win this thing, I’ll have to run down the basics. But we need to strategize. Playing ball’s not the kind of thing you can just wing it. Show me what you’ve got.”</p><p>They started with drills, dribbling came first. Getting a proper feel of holding a basketball, because Theta explained the best way to learn was pretending to start over. Next came passes, blocking, the do’s and don'ts around the court before scoring above all else. Everyone had an understanding of how the game worked, but it was how to be good at it. They got the hang of it fairly quickly, learning to pick up on teamwork and communication, good coordination, and swapping with subs.</p><p>They let the kids play a round with them and it was a fairly intense practice session, as they proved themselves to be great opponents. Then they split up to work on their shooting mechanisms, Leorio and Kurapika facing off head-to-head in a game of basketball while everyone else egged them on— getting loud when Kurapika shoved Leorio and ducked around him to attempt to make a shot. He thought maybe the bold move was a long shot and he’d miss, but he gasped when it made it into the hoop and he turned around, a sweaty mess as he jumped.</p><p>“You did it!” Leorio high-fived him, “that was sick!”</p><p>“You don’t have to be tall to be on a team after all then.” Kurapika teased.</p><p>“Average shot.”</p><p>“Fuck you, it was <em>far </em>from average.” Leorio cackled and Kurapika playfully punched him in the shoulder.</p><p>Pietro walked up to them huffing his inhaler like it was his lifeline, “before I was makin’ fun of the fact that you almost broke your back during the cheer-off,” he panted, “but now I understand how you feel. Shit gets brutal when you’re getting older.”</p><p>Pairo sat on the floor, “I’m beat.” he said, drinking from a water bottle Morena handed to him while she gave them encouraging words of wisdom. Kite, Wing, Bill, Zepile, and Mito were still playing with the kids while Theta was guiding them. Oito sat down with Morena to take a break too.</p><p>Theta rounded them up after an hour passed of vigorous practice. While everyone else was on the verge of collapsing, taking a breather, she didn’t break a single sweat. She had the basketball clutched at her side as she walked up to them.</p><p>They waited for the final verdict with bated breath.</p><p>“I think you’re ready.” She decided. Sighs of relief flooded over everyone in the group.</p><p>“So!” Zepile stood up and stretched, “anyone hungry?”</p><p>“Are you paying for it?” Killua asked, arching a brow.</p><p>“Uh…haha…”</p><p>“Oh my God.” Kurapika almost forgot after they had asked to tag along, “did anyone bring lunch today?”</p><p>“We left it in our backpacks.” Zushi said.</p><p>“Where’s your backpacks?”</p><p>“In the classroom!” Ponzu answered.</p><p>“I know a place nearby.” Zepile said, “but Leorio’s paying for everyone ‘cause he’s filthy rich.” Leorio looked like he wanted to murder him.</p><p>“Everyone do us a favor and please don’t tell the other kids we’ve taken you out to lunch,” Kurapika said. But it was far too late to go back and get their belongings when they rushed into Zepile’s stolen ice cream truck and hauled ass miles into the city to find Morena and Theta and practice for their teachers’ basketball tournament. He leaned forward, “you guys can keep a secret, can you?”</p><p>They all nodded, pretending to zip their lips shut and throw the locket away. Kurapika winked at them, smirking. He knew the Pickled Peppers were his favorites for a reason (other than the fact that Gon and Killua he had an undeniable soft spot for by default)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Truth was, Leorio was nervous.</p><p>The burger joint was a ten minute drive away. They had to merge a couple tables together to accommodate their “field trip” away from the school.</p><p>He eventually tuned out of the vibrant conversation happening with the others. The kids stealing each other’s fries and bickering. He tried not to look at his watch every couple seconds, or he’d get antsy, bouncing his leg as he rested his knuckle on his chin.</p><p>They had to start going back to the school soon. Kurapika excused himself to go to the bathroom, telling the kids to behave themselves.</p><p>“Hey.” Pietro nudged him, and Leorio didn’t realize the entire table’s eyes were on him because he’d been trying to get his attention for the past several minutes. “You okay, Leo?” Zepile was telling them some wild story about an encounter with some angry patrons about one of his con schemes when the conversation fizzled out.</p><p>“Uh, yeah.” Leorio laughed. “Just… thinking, is all.”</p><p>“He’s sad because he hasn’t told Mr. Kurta about his big fat crush on them.” Leorio had no idea when Killua started eavesdropping, scaring the ever-living daylights out of him when he popped next to them— practically telling everyone his business.</p><p>“Right!” Pairo remembered, “you’re supposed to confess today!”</p><p>“Hold on,” Zepile said, “what am I missing out on?”</p><p>“Nothing!” Leorio barked, “don’t listen to what they say!”</p><p>“The old man said he’d give Mr. Kurta until the end of the school year to fall in love with him.” Killua told everyone anyway.</p><p>“How’s that working out?” Theta asked, curious.</p><p>Leorio slumped his head on the table.</p><p>“Poor thing.” Morena commented. “No progress?”</p><p>“No. I don’t think so.” Pietro patted Leorio on the back.</p><p>“How long do we have, like, two days?” Kite asked, “today and Monday.”</p><p>“They gave me until today.” Leorio’s voice was muffled against the table, “there’s gonna be this big picnic after the game is over.”</p><p>“Dude, it’s today!” Pairo shrieked, “what’s your game plan?!”</p><p>“I—I haven’t, uh,” Leorio lifted his head meekly, “thought that far.”</p><p>The way they were so invested in his tragic love story was beyond him, they sounded disappointed to hear his response. “No one has a planned love confession up their belt just like that! This isn’t the movies! I can’t just pull something out of my ass without looking like an idiot, so I’ve been panicking about it all week. I just—”</p><p>“You just what?” Pietro asked.</p><p>“I don’t think I can do it…” Leorio murmured quietly.</p><p>“What?!”</p><p>“That’s a load of crap!”</p><p>“You spent the entire year chasing after them.” Pairo said, “you’re just going to throw that all away over nothing!”</p><p>“I’ve never had a single long-lasting relationship since Gon’s mom died! I don’t even remember how this all works! I just feel like I’m setting myself up to fail.” Here Leorio Paladiknight was, at age thirty-five, pouring his heart out to his friends and a couple acquaintances, and six and seven-year old children at a burger restaurant. “If it weren’t for my good paying job, and well, <em>this</em>,” he gestured to his devilishly handsome looks because one thing he didn’t doubt was the good-looking genes passed down from his parents to their children, “what other thing do I <em>have </em>going for me? The one relationship I managed to salvage I couldn’t keep because I messed it all up.”</p><p>“But you really like our teacher,” Gon said, “...don’t you, dad?”</p><p>Leorio couldn’t say he didn’t. That would be a lie. He still did. <em>So much</em>. But he’s so used to others running from him when things got too serious, too <em>difficult </em>to handle.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter when I can’t do anything about it.”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Kite said, shaking his head, “that guy the entire school saw confess to one of <em>ours</em> at the fun run that night? <em>That </em>guy, looks like he can do something about it.”</p><p>“Um, Mr. Paladiknight, if I may say something…” Komugi raised her hand, even though Kurapika wasn’t here and they weren’t in class. They looked at her. “Everytime you were with us, teacher had so much fun. They were really happy…”</p><p>“And because they were happy,” Killua reluctantly added off of her words, “<em>we </em>were happy.” he finished.</p><p>“Sorry to put you guys’ hopes up.” Leorio said quietly.</p><p>Pietro shot up. He lifted Leorio up from his chair by the collar of his shirt. “You kiddin’ me, man?!” He shouted, “<em>You’re not gonna give this up so easily</em>, when the old you I knew as kids would jump bridges just to get what he wanted! Just because we’re not kids anymore doesn’t mean your life is over! You never gave up on me when I almost lost my life! <em>Don’t give up on the love of your life, hermano!</em>”</p><p>Kurapika was on his way out the bathroom when he got a phone call, so he hadn’t left the hall yet. But he heard the commotion, slowly inching closer to where the group was.</p><p>Leorio’s eyes widened, “Pete…”</p><p>“Man up.” Pietro let go of his shirt, “What do you think Aura would’ve wanted?”</p><p>Leorio stayed silent.</p><p>Move on, too.</p><p>That’s what she would’ve wanted. All the kids were staring at him, hopeful. The others were judging his next decision. He hated to disappoint them, but all that confidence he’d once built shattered so easily.</p><p>“I don’t think just a few of our opinions are enough.” Pairo patted Pietro’s shoulders. “How about we reach a verdict?” he stood up on the chair, everyone looking at him as he climbed on top of the table and the eyes of other people in the diner looked at him. Leorio’s face went beet red.</p><p>“W-What—?!”</p><p>“E-Excuse me—” The manager of the restaurant had to intervene because the large crowd was already intimidating enough as it was, but he didn’t say anything until now, “what seems to be the problem?”</p><p>“Hey, sorry to be rude.” Pairo smiled, “but this guy over here wants to confess to who’s pretty much the love of his life. He’s basically asking for a second chance.” he pointed at Leorio.</p><p>Kurapika hid behind the wall. He hung up the phone call entirely, knowing it was probably Melody reminding them that they had to be back at the school very soon. The recreational period of the festival was drawing to an end and they spent a little too much time at the diner, but Pairo’s outburst startled him. No one’s pointed out Kurapika’s presence yet.</p><p>“Okay, well— that’s great and all—” The manager said, “but this isn’t something to start an altercation about.”</p><p>“Heck yeah it is!” Nanika argued, “someone old and miserable like you wouldn’t understand!”</p><p>The manager turned flustered.</p><p>“Unfortunately for you, we’re gonna make a big deal about it.” Pairo high-fived Nanika, “Nani's got a point. So listen up!” he gathered the attention of the entire diner, “This man is <em>our </em>friend! Today, he’s supposed to tell <em>my best friend in the whole wide world </em>he loves them! But thinks he isn’t ready to do it!”</p><p>“Leorio was going through a hard time.” Pietro said, “he didn’t want to hurt them, and it’s understandable that you made that decision. But you don’t have to keep blaming yourself over it anymore.”</p><p>“You have the entire school hoping for this.” Wing said.</p><p>“Are they really expecting some <em>grand gesture</em>?”</p><p>“Duh!” Pairo exclaimed, “where’s the fierce doctor that we knew that saved that kid during the school play, or Kurapika after what happened at the school dance, or the one that ran the entire damn mile across the finish line just to prove a point?! You never give up!”</p><p>“We always come when we’re called.” Pietro said, “Kurapika’s calling <em>you</em>. You knew what you wanted since day one! You’re a doctor, Leorio! You know anyone’s needs more than anything!”</p><p>“Y-You’re right…” Leorio said. The signs should be there. There’s a million things in the world he can diagnose but love is one of the greatest mysteries in the world. Not even Leorio knew everything, naturally, doctors weren’t omniscient. They located the problem, identified the objective, and resolved it with precaution. Love came in the form of sickness, loneliness, happiness, conveyed through many emotions all in one and appeared as something completely asymptomatic on the outside… while a storm threatening to burst was brewing on the inside.</p><p>He was healing, but so was Kurapika after the first time things ended between them. But Leorio couldn’t fix a broken heart, but he can mend it until it's well on its way to healing once again.</p><p>“So what do you guys think?!” Pairo asked the crowd, “should he go through with it?!”</p><p>Dozens of strangers Leorio didn’t even <em>know </em>screamed out <em>yes, just fucking do it already. </em>Their responses harmoniously echoed together, and he realized that each and every single one of them were cheering him on. They wanted him to do it.</p><p>They were rooting for him.</p><p>Kurapika was behind the wall, his hands clamped over his mouth. He didn’t utter a single word from where he stood, feet firmly planted to the ground. Frozen. If he’d remained in the bathroom, he’d only be able to hear murmuring, echoes, and white noise droning in and out… but he’d gotten a closer look to hear better… and he’s thankful he did sooner.</p><p>“There you have it!” Zepile said, hyping up the crowd along with Pairo. The other smiled, Killua, Gon, and his friends rejoiced together with grins on their faces. “They’re countin’ on you!”</p><p>“They are.” Leorio laughed, it came in a rush. His heart swelled in his chest, and he was so nervous that he could cry, he could <em>die</em>, but he closed his eyes and nodded.</p><p>“I know what I need to do.” He told his friends.</p><p>“Don’t we got a basketball game to go to?” Theta asked when the crowd died down, smirking. They left the restaurant, Pietro offered to pay the bill for everyone, mentioning that the <em>lover boy </em>had a mission he had to do. Kurapika left the restaurant last when they were waiting for them in the truck, stepping on.</p><p>Leorio almost forgot that Kurapika possibly heard everything… until he apologized in a rush that he was late and didn’t mean to keep them waiting, if he’d missed anything.</p><p>He didn’t hear a single thing.</p><p>The bathroom turned out to be the furthest down the hall of the diner… so it was only a small chance Kurapika would’ve known. Everyone tried their best not to act weird and give away what was happening, Pairo begged them not to say anything.</p><p>Kurapika stood next to him and smiled, Zepile offered the entire truck cold Italian ices for the ride back to the school.</p><p>Once they were back in the gym, it was game time. The gym was packed already with their fellow team members in different groups ready to play. One of Oito’s friends brought Woble along, saying she wanted to root for them. Knuckle, Shoot, and Meleoron were there. Somehow word of the sports festival spread to their outside circles, so they came all the way down to watch the game. Leila was there as well, to kiss Mito good luck.</p><p>Lastly, Gon and Killua wished them good luck. They stayed with the rest of the blue team. Phinks announced their group eventually when it was their time to go against the opponents chosen from the red team. Everything passed in a blur, from the time they put their hands together and lifted them in the air and scattered on the basketball court.</p><p>From the time Kurapika called his name and Leorio dribbled the ball his way as fast as he could, passing it to him with complete trust he had this score in his hands, the score that would put their team in the lead. From the time Kurapika leapt in the air and made the shot in the hoop, when they cheered and huddled together happily after scoring another point.</p><p>It wasn’t about the game.</p><p>It wasn’t about the game at all, Leorio thought, their teammates passed the ball around back and forth, evading their opponents trying to steal the ball from them. But they’d fight back, and they’d make one shot after another. The cries coming from their end of the gym. It was never about the game.</p><p>Kurapika’s love wasn’t something to be won.</p><p>Even when Bisky proudly announced they won the game, he felt Pietro’s arm thrown around his shoulder as he stared at the microphone she was holding in her hands. He stood rigid, unlike his friends, who were jumping in excitement over their victory.</p><p>Kurapika’s love was something to be earned.</p><p>It was there all along, right under his nose.</p><p>Leorio just needed to reach out and grab it.</p><p>Come and catch him.</p><p>He ran up to Bisky, his friends looked onward in confusion when the gym was still raving over their successful tournament. Leorio took the microphone from her.</p><p>“Does our winning team have a few words to say?” She asked, completely oblivious as to why he came up to the center in the first place. “Please share with us all your fantastic speech! We’d love to hear it!”</p><p>“It’s not a speech.” Leorio answered boldly. The audience slowly grew quiet. The marching band, both teachers, students, and faculty on either side of the gym. They all stared at Leorio in mild shock, some curious, some puzzled. He felt his heart pound when he locked eyes directly with Kurapika.</p><p>“A month ago, during the fun run. Some of you might’ve witnessed me say that I’m giving one of the teachers here a month to decide if they wanna give me a second chance. That teacher is standing right there, with the team we just played a mean game of basketball together with.” He pointed directly at them. The crowd parted just slightly, heads turned to get a better look at Kurapika who stood there, the longing in his eyes, brightening just enough to turn a forlorn shade of scarlet. “Meet me outside on the field, find me, and I’ll tell you how I feel. Maybe you’ll tell me.”</p><p>He gave the microphone back to a very touched Bisky, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. Leorio turned and walked to the nearest exit into the school’s field.</p><p>"Oh, so romantic." Pariston gushed.</p><p>"Well it <em>is</em> time for our picnic." Morel cleared his throat, "go on, the rest of you, get outta here while it's still nice out!"</p><p>Leorio went to the farthest end of the field at a nearby tree. He heard the cheering in the gym from outside, everyone celebrating the end of the sports festival by running outside and enjoying the rest of the day on their schoolwide picnic that had just begun. There'd be fireflies at night, sprinklers, water gun fights, bubbles, love, joy, and freedom up until late evening.</p><p>The field was empty save for a few people when he arrived. He stood there, and waited.</p><p>And he waited.</p><p>And he <em>waited</em>.</p><p>As it was his turn now. For Kurapika to catch him.</p><p>He sunk down against the tree bark, hands clasped together. He hadn’t done anything like this since he confessed to <em>Dina Bridgers </em>in the <em>eighth grade</em>… and here he was now, as an adult, proclaiming his feelings for someone he’d been crushing on for half a year and now madly in love with.</p><p>He's not sure how much time had passed. He stared at the grass beneath his dirty converses, golden cross necklace dangling from his chest and his watch around his wrist.</p><p>People already filed out of the gym into the field because it was the last day of the festival, meaning it was time for celebration. The faint noise steadily grew louder over time, and the field was full of life. Leorio saw a bubble float across the air. Then many more. He looked around. The students were blowing bubbles, chasing each other, playing games. Their teachers kept a close eye on them while letting them simply be <em>free</em>. He didn’t see Kurapika anywhere among the crowd. He didn’t think he hid himself that well so that Kurapika wouldn’t find him.</p><p>He'd come. Leorio knew he'd come. He heard what Leorio said. Today's the day.</p><p>He just wanted to say his feelings in a place where nowhere else would be around. As hundreds of people in the building poured out into the field, Leorio waited patiently. A part of his doubts settled in again, that maybe this wouldn’t work after all. But he had full confidence Kurapika would come. He just needed to tell him.</p><p>A minute felt like more, agonizingly so, he bounced his knee. Growing anxious. They wouldn't run away.</p><p>A hand was placed on his shoulder. Leorio turned around. It was Bill.</p><p>“While you're waiting here, I thought I'd give a word of advice. My boyfriend once told me that no matter how many chances the world gives you, don’t ever give up.”</p><p>Leorio sputtered, unable to process the advice because he heard the word <em>boyfriend</em>, “y-your <em>what</em>—”</p><p>“Go get ‘em, tiger.” Bill winked, standing up and shoving his hands into the pocket of his shorts. Leorio couldn’t even properly thank him, too stunned to say a single word watching him walk away. He noticed that everyone else was there, smiling at him.</p><p><em>"WE BELIEVE IN YOU, DAD!" </em>Gon shouted as loud as he could. Loud enough that the words echoed in and out of Leorio's ears. No matter what happened, he knew his friends and family had his back, every step of the way.</p><p>But he had to do this on his own.</p><p>They were giving him his full privacy, walking away.</p><p>Leorio felt his confidence return slowly, but surely.</p><p>When he turned back around, his breath caught in his throat.</p><p>Somewhere ahead, he saw messy blond hair dash across the field— looking around frantically. Leorio’s heart dropped. He stood up so fast he felt dizzy, his legs were falling asleep and he felt them shake along with each and every part of his limbs.</p><p>Through the neighboring trees, scarlet eyes landed on him. Leorio forced his feet to <em>move</em>, almost stumbling and hitting his knees. But he pushed himself forward, closer, and closer.</p><p>Kurapika was here. He looked so <em>small</em>, tensed, but the moment he came closer his face had softened in some sort of fondness that made Leorio hold his breath.</p><p>He always looked so beautiful. In his black basketball shorts, blue shirt for their ridiculous color wars he's so happy to been part of for the very first time in his God damn life and blue bee antennas on his head that jiggled every step he took the kids probably forced him to wear, some streaks of paint on his shirt from when their paint battle session with helping Kite and Wing with the school's mural.</p><p>“You came.” Leorio urged the words to come out, trapped in his throat.</p><p>“You really are an idiot.” Kurapika laughed, and it almost came out like a sob. The crack in his whispering tone made Leorio <em>ache, ache, </em>and <em>ache</em>.</p><p>“I’m in love with you. Kurapika Kurta.” Leorio stepped even closer. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting for so long. I used to think as a doctor, I’d be able to solve everything. But I’m not invincible, and I know how much it hurts when you wanna be with someone you can’t have. The ache I feel in my chest, that my heart’s breaking when I think about being with you and I was so scared I couldn’t let myself be happy. But I don’t care about that anymore. I <em>want you</em>, Kurapika. And who the Hell cares if in another year we realize we can’t stand each other,” they both laughed at that, “there’s no telling if things are truly meant to be when anything can happen! Instead of thinking, we should just do it. And if it doesn’t work out, we’d try again, again, and again. We’d start over, go back to the very start.” He shook his head, his breath in a rush even if he didn’t do anything running at all. That’s how Kurapika made him feel. Like taking a giant leap off a huge cliff and coming back up for air, running miles and miles across an empty abyss until you reach the light at the end of the horizon.</p><p>He’s lovesick, he’s got it bad, and he knew that.</p><p>“When you get that jittery feeling when you’re with someone you like, it’s dopamine. Our brains reward us when we’re with the person we love! It makes you do the craziest things! It’s a key part of mating behavior, when I’m with you, my oxytocin levels are off the charts!” Leorio confessed, “I wanna give you the moon! The whole world! Flowers! <em>Good head</em>, for fuck’s sake, make you feel like the most special person in the world because I’m in love with you and <em>so in love with you</em>, and what can I say… if someone makes you this happy. You have to let them know. Love has so many effects on the human body, it’s almost breathtaking. Passion, good health, relief, a longer life, anyone can easily get addicted to it. It’s the best diagnosis. A complete mystery, the best thing you’ll ever experience… and that’s why… I think you should be with me.” He finished, smiling down at Kurapika, “you should always follow your doctor’s orders.”</p><p>“How many times will we have to start over?” Kurapika asked, “how we feel about each other can all come crashing down!” he countered, “and then what?!”</p><p>“Then I’ll ask you to give me another chance! And we’ll try again!”</p><p>“Just like that?!”</p><p>“Just like that!”</p><p>“But am I worth fighting for?” Kurapika’s eyes shimmered, dejected, and Leorio cradled his cheeks in his hands as if he’d break if he were too reckless. Making Kurapika look at him, wanting to wipe away any stray tears he’d end up shedding. “I’m scared. That maybe we’re both still not ready, and we won’t have any future.”</p><p>“So let’s not think about it.” Leorio said, pleading. “We don’t have to. Who gives a shit about what the future says. We might not even be compatible now, or ever, and we might even hate each other’s guts, fight, cry, but Sunshine, Sunshine, <em>Sunshine,</em>” he whispered like he’d never have the opportunity to say so again. “<em>Este es nuestro destino.”</em></p><p>Kurapika’s gaze averted to Leorio’s, his thumb brushed over the tear on Kurapika’s cheek.</p><p>Leorio thought about the very first time they met.</p><p>Their first Halloween spent together, their first field trip, their first school dance, their first road trip across to the city to find a couple of crazy children, their first marathon, their first school event, to their very last, their first date, their first kiss… their first laugh, their first cry.</p><p>Kurapika wasn’t his first love, but he would be Leorio’s last.</p><p>“If you want to know my answer…” Kurapika murmured, “then kiss me.” he pleaded gently.</p><p>And so, Leorio did.</p><p>This wouldn’t be their last kiss, but one of many. In a way, this would be their very first after starting over, back to the very beginning. He cupped Kurpaika’s cheeks a little tighter, Kurapika’s arms hooked around his shoulders. Two lovers standing under the cherry blossom tree behind the school’s building, on the beautiful field, bubbles scattered across the air like balloons, the afternoon skies darkened.</p><p>He couldn’t help but pump a fist in the air.</p><p>He’s earned something, and for the first time, he felt like a millionaire.</p><p>It’s the most cherished prize he’s earned with honor, and he’d try his very best to never let go of it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I purposefully left the beginning notes blank for a reason.</p><p>There's an epilogue next chapter. Don't be shy, click that button.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. see you next year, mr. kurta</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Room 102 has their final day of school.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, you made it.</p><p>Enjoy your stay. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kurapika wore a traditional pink kurta. The AC was miraculously working, his hair and shawl blew in the same direction as the breeze as he walked around the classroom and sat on his special chair next to the whiteboard.</p><p>It broke his heart he’d have to take all of this down soon until his classroom was nothing but an empty void. But he took a moment to drink in the homey feeling his students felt walking into his classroom every morning and leaving it.</p><p>His jewels fastened around his wrist jingled with every movement, almost quietly, much like the sandals on his feet, up to the earring on his right ear, changed now that he was being courted by another. He held a paper ball they'd created as a class in his hands, with all their names signed on it. The class quieted down, containing their excitement that it was the final day of classes and the sports festival was long over.</p><p>“I want everyone to pass this around and tell me something they’ve enjoyed this year as a class.” He explained, “no handwritten assignments, no readings, nothing like that. This is your only assignment before you leave this classroom. I do this every year, and now it’s your turn. I’ll start.” He saw the way Killua stopped talking with Gon, looking at him, and Kurapika smiled.</p><p>“I learned about the importance of second chances.” He said, “I learned about friendship, heartbreak, happiness, teaching all of you, but I learned most about family.” Kurapika continued, trying his best to hide the melancholy in his tone knowing this was just another farewell message he’d give every year. But he wanted to keep it short. He won’t break. He promised he wouldn’t. He even told Killua he wouldn’t start sobbing, swore he wouldn’t. He had to keep it together, for them.</p><p>Kurapika passed the ball around, starting from the first student. They told many different things, some short, and others a little longer. It made its way through the circle until it was thrown at Gon.</p><p>“I learned that being somewhere new is hard for people.” He said, “I didn’t think I’d make any friends coming to this school. I went to daycare in preschool with my aunt, so I never got to really go to a real school. Then I came here. My dad said I should feel like I belong somewhere and this is the best place to start. I made so many awesome friends, and I got to meet my best friends. And I had a really great teacher, too.”</p><p>Kurapika wasn’t going to break.</p><p>Gon passed the ball to Killua.</p><p>“This thing’s so stupid.” He muttered. But every single one of his classmates did it, and he knew Kurapika wouldn’t allow him to pass. “...I learned that school doesn’t… really suck that much, I guess. I actually had fun coming here everyday. To see my teacher,” he confessed. Kurapika felt the waterworks coming, but Killua simply scoffed. He sniffled too the longer he paused for. “I know what it’s like to really have a family that cares about you. Friends that don’t bully you and judge you. People that… like you. Even when things are bad. They’re still there when you expect them to go away. I learned a lot going here… I passed my first test, and my teacher told me they were proud of me. I realized that I can… do things with my life, and I’m allowed to be happy.” He wiped his eyes with his hands.</p><p>“Aww, Killua!”</p><p>“You love us!”</p><p>“S-Shut up already! You guys are so annoying!”</p><p>Kurapika watched the clock hit fifteen to twelve. He chuckled at the slight bickering, allowing them to let their feelings out as most of them had trouble holding it in as much as he did.</p><p>“It’s almost dismissal time.” He explained, “thank you for participating in this assignment with me, everyone. I wish you all a very good summer—”</p><p>His class assembled in front of him and bowed their heads suddenly. Kurapika blinked, eyes widening. “W-What—”</p><p><em>“THANK YOU, MR. KURTA!” </em>They screamed. The tears rolled heavy down Kurapika’s cheeks, speechless. “Thank you for everything!”</p><p>"You taught us fun!"</p><p>"You taught us strength!"</p><p>"You taught us hard-work!"</p><p>"You taught us how to be ourselves!"</p><p>"You taught us discovering new things!" Each and every single one of his students listed the things Kurapika taught them the course of the year, all at once. Like this was planned from the very beginning. Kurapika's eyes flitted around, his heart threatened to burst with all the feelings he kept tucked inside. Hope, bravery, acceptance, allowing them to <em>feel </em>and channel that energy toward their drive to do better and keep on trying, trying, and trying.</p><p>"<em>OSU!" </em>They chorused, tears and snot messily streaming down their cheeks as they slowly raised their fists in the air, one by one. The water dam burst, and the tears started to fall. </p><p>Kurapika didn’t even have to ask, but they huddled around him anyway for a group hug. He was expecting them to leave without uttering a single word, keep it to a simple farewell. That way, he wouldn't have to deal with the heavy feelings that came along with it.</p><p>But he was no robot. His class were human beings, with personal emotions, goals and dreams of their own he's come to unravel in under several months and he wouldn't pretend the attachment he felt toward them didn't exist. Not when he fought <em>so hard </em>to keep these children happy like his own, it made him thankful, that he still had this job more than anything. </p><p>The hardest part was saying goodbye, as he wouldn't be able to watch them all grow personally drifting from one year to the next. He already pictured their growth through their performance, mentally, and physically, up until now he got a proper look at them and witnessed their sprout in maturity and how greatly they learned to work together as a class and tackle any problem head-on.</p><p>And this was all <em>his </em>impact. It was all because of <em>his </em>doing. Kurapika couldn't be any prouder.</p><p>“I hope I see some of you again,” He whispered, “if not all of you, I won’t forget you. Please come visit me."</p><p>“We won’t forget you either!”</p><p>“We love you, teacher!”</p><p>“Don’t cry!”</p><p>“Man, you’re gonna make me start crying too!”</p><p>"Stop hogging! I want to hug them too!"</p><p>"Piss off!"</p><p>"I was here first!"</p><p>...Maybe their maturity levels needed a little bit of work. They were still incoming first-graders after all in a few months.</p><p>“Okay,” Kurapika had to break up the group hug, as much as it broke his heart even more to do that. “Get your things, but quietly! We need to line up for dismissal!”</p><p>They stayed in the hug a little more before they broke apart, rushing back to their tables to get their things. Leorio said he’d be here in a few minutes, his shift was ending early and he’d be there to take them out for a celebratory ending of the school year dinner since it’d be another year of school completed for both Gon and Killua. They'd be going with friends, with Oito, Bill, Zepile, and Pietro coming along, and Kurapika was allowed to bring Pairo. They'd be meeting Mito there with Leila, and it'd be a family dinner between their newfound exclusive circle of friends. He was beyond excited, as this would be treated as officially being an addition to the family as Leorio's partner. He'd finally have time to settle in, for real.</p><p>For how long it'll last, that didn't matter.</p><p>“Quietly!” Kurapika reminded them, because the bell was about to ring soon. He went back to his desk and checked his phone. Leorio texted him <em>just left, Sunshine </em>❤️ a couple seconds ago.</p><p>He smiled to himself. The chalkboard had a drawing on it, of a giant heart and everyone in the class drawn in stick figures holding hands. Kurapika in the very middle. Ridiculous flowers and hearts drawn in various colored chalk he did with them as a fun activity on their last day as a pass time. The words <em>ROOM 102 IS THE G.O.A.T</em> scribbled on top of the drawing. ("I have a question. What does <em>GOAT</em> mean?" "Ugh, it means <em>Greatest of All Time,</em> duh." Killua rolled his eyes. Kurapika propped a hand on his chin. "I approve." He said. They smiled at each other.)</p><p>A loud ringing that certainly wasn’t the school bell blasted off the halls and into the classrooms.</p><p>It was the fire alarm.</p><p>Kurapika frowned. A fire drill wasn’t scheduled today, it was a half-day, and that’s all the information they were given as they were supposed to let out their classes early.</p><p>Which meant someone pulled the fire alarm. He had his classroom door open, and the class took that as a sign they had to leave immediately.</p><p>“SCHOOL’S OUT!” Killua shouted at the top of his lungs. The class cried out, elated, and they grabbed their backpacks, bolting out of the classroom. Killua threw his skateboard on the floor and glided down the hall, Gon followed him. The rest of them followed the two boys, Komugi leaving as well looking like she was holding someone’s hand on the way out the door. Kurapika chased them to the door, but they were leaving him behind without any means of stopping over the loud fire alarm.</p><p>“Wait!” Kurapika called after them, but they didn’t listen. <em>Oh, no. </em>This was bad. Since all the classes were preparing for dismissal overseeing the commotion their first instinct was to follow, one class leaving their room followed by another starting a chain reaction.</p><p>They didn’t have to be bound by their teachers anymore now that school was finally over, meaning they could do what they pleased. As soon as they were out those double doors.</p><p>They were free.</p><p>All because some stupid middle schooler might’ve pulled the fire alarm. Each and every student ran away from their teachers tailing them for the exit.</p><p>Pandemonium broke out within mere seconds.</p><p>“C’mon, Mr. Kurta!” Gon had come back when Kurapika watched them leave, too baffled to process what’s going on, “it’s so warm outside! Summer’s here!”</p><p>He met up with the other teachers chasing their class outside. The sun was high up in the sky, beaming, and the breeze was light when Kurapika felt it on his skin.</p><p>"Well this beats a regular outside dismissal." Machi said.</p><p>"You're not kidding!" Shalnark happily went after his class.</p><p>"Hey, wait up!" Machi raced him down the steps. Shizuku struggled to put on her glasses, stopping for a brief moment. As soon as she got it back on she followed suit. Basho's cackling at all the madness, at a slow walking pace. </p><p>"Slow down, will ya?!" Pakunoda told her class but it practically fell on deaf ears. "This definitely counts as overtime." she told Pairo and Kurapika, bolting past them.</p><p>They pretty much treated this like your average school day. </p><p>"This is too fun not to join in on." Kite said, and he jumped down the entirety of the steps to swim in the herd.</p><p>"Cheadle's gonna flip." Pairo laughed. Phinks and Uvogin rushed out. Nobunaga and Franklin just yawned, pretending like this was a walk in the park despite their class scattered all throughout the school yard and down the block, the street, it almost looked like a riot. Concerned parents stopped in their cars to scramble out and chase after their lost children.</p><p>“Hey!” Dallzollene and the security guards couldn’t even contain the crowd of eager children with their backpacks throwing their books, pencils, and papers in the air as they jumped down the steps and slid down the bannister. “Why are you just standing there?! Get them!” He barked at the guards. They bumped into each other, flustered, then they snapped out of it and booked it out the building to go wrangle everyone back in place. It's far too late for that, now. </p><p>Kurapika caught up with his students, a smile on his face. He was no longer chasing them, but running with them. The rules didn't matter judging by the way ripped pages of notebooks floated through the skies and rained on them.</p><p>“Same old, same old, huh?!" Pairo questioned. They grinned.</p><p>“You bet.” Kurapika teased.</p><p>“Sir,” Cheadle was frazzled when she told Netero what was going on, “it appears someone pulled on the fire alarm and everyone’s rushing outside before dismissal.”</p><p>“Well they’re dismissed now, aren’t they?” He grinned, not minding one bit the disruption the mishap currently led to. “I need some exercise myself.”</p><p>“Sir?!” The head faculty watched their principal in surprise as he shouted “WOOHOO,” sliding down the bannister and joining the herd of running students.</p><p>“Sir!” Cheadle chased after him. By default, the rest of them had to. Pairo and Kurapika were running together, the other teachers trailed far behind, grins on their faces, everyone’s shouting with absolute joy that they wouldn’t have to come back here for another two months and granted their freedom. Pariston had left the doors lastly, finding the chaos endearing.</p><p>“Isn’t it such a beautiful sight?” He asked, “youth, living out their wildest dreams.”</p><p>Ging rested an elbow on his shoulder. “Remember how we used to be like that when we were in school together? Back row kids?”</p><p>“I wasn’t referring to <em>us</em>.”</p><p>“But you were thinking about it.” Ging winked. Pariston glared at him, and the two of them casually walked, far from the crowd but following them at their own pace.</p><p>Netero was running recklessly without a care in the world while Cheadle, Bisky, Palm, Knov, Morel, Mizai, and the remaining faculty tried to catch him before he hurt himself. By now, almost everyone’s flooded out of the building.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leorio, Pietro, Bill, Makoto, Oito, and Zepile drove in front of the school building in Zepile’s large car, meant to fit the entire party for the celebratory dinner, frowning when they saw everyone running to God knows where.</p><p>“Wait wait wait wait!” Leorio shouted, “stop the car here!”</p><p>“Are we missing something?” Makoto asked.</p><p>“You’re tellin’ me.” Bill said.</p><p>“What the fuck?” Pietro whispered, intimidated by the giant crowd of screaming children and teachers.</p><p>“The fuck’s everyone goin’ to?!” Zepile asked, honking the horn when some of them straight up hopped over their car and slid down the trunk. “Hey! I paid a fortune for this car! Brats!”</p><p>“Should we leave?” Oito asked.</p><p>“This has to mean Kurapika’s somewhere in that crowd then, right?” Leorio asked.</p><p>They parked the car, everyone turning around and seeing that they were running down the nearest block, but he couldn’t pinpoint where to.</p><p>All of them exited Leorio’s car.</p><p>“We sure came on time.” Pietro joked.</p><p>They were chanting “school’s out! School’s out!” and something along those lines.</p><p>“There’s those fuckers that jumped on my car!” Zepile chased after the cackling middle schoolers, “get over here!”</p><p>“You said Kurapika’s here, right?!” Pietro shoved him forward, “why are you standing here for?! Go catch them!”</p><p>“This looks exciting. I’d like to see where it ends.” Makoto said.</p><p>“What?” Bill blinked, and Makoto started running with them, coaxing everyone else to follow. He sighed to himself, looking at Leorio, Pietro, and Oito. “Guess we’re all running.”</p><p>“Hello!” Melody met up with them in the sea of people, “someone pulled the fire alarm, and all the students mistook it for being dismissed.”</p><p>“What?!” Leorio shrieked.</p><p>“Run with us! It’s such a lovely day out!” Melody said, she took Oito’s hand, and the two of them ran off.</p><p>That’s how Leorio and Pietro ended up running for their lives side by side in this bat shit crazy dismissal session. It was certainly one way to go off with a bang.</p><p>Pietro started to lag behind when Leorio noticed Kurapika in view, he’s running with the other teachers, and he noticed Pairo was there too. Gon, Killua, their friends.</p><p>Leorio didn’t stop running.</p><p>He looked back at Pietro, who gave him a thumbs-up, shoving his inhaler into his mouth. Leorio nodded at him, sprinting as fast as his long legs could take him.</p><p>As soon as Kurapika’s back was to him, he shouted his name.</p><p>Kurapika stopped, turning around.</p><p>He didn’t wait this time.</p><p>He ran back for Leorio.</p><p>“Leorio!”</p><p>“Kurapika!”</p><p>Miraculously, they stopped running here slowly, at the furthest end of the block. Separating to either go home, spend time with friends, or back to their waiting parents.</p><p>Kurapika leapt into Leorio’s arms, cupping his cheeks and kissing him passionately. Leorio caught him right then and there.</p><p>His class came running back to crowd around them for a final farewell, Leorio gently set Kurapika to the ground, ruffling Gon’s hair when he crashed into his father’s arms. Excited to see that he was here.</p><p>“Everyone, follow me!” Kurapika called them over to him and Leorio. “Until we meet again! I hope we meet one last time before you graduate, and I hope to see you all grow so big one day! Let’s all have a great summer together, okay?!”</p><p>“<em>OSU!” </em>They pumped their fists in the air, as long as the shining sun brightened their future, anything seemed possible.</p><p>This was simply just another year.</p><p>They could have many more together.</p><p>Room 102 lived on forever, from one class to another.</p><p>They’ll meet again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>WE MADE IT!!!</p><p>-So it took me a hot minute to come up with a love confession, until I rewatched slumdog millionaire, and I won't lie, the "this is our destiny" line said in spanish was taken from jamal and latika's reunion after several years of not seeing each other.<br/>-First of all THANK YOU HANNAH (@sail_to_me) for allowing me to borrow the beautiful lovely stunning gorgeous amazing Makoto Ferrari who is Bill's ACTUAL boyfriend in her hxh canonverse, it was an HONOR to include him.<br/>-The basketball tournament, obviously ripped from space jam. I can't wait for the second movie, bruh.<br/>-The ending where everyone ran out the school is similar to the ending of season 1 of the gokusen drama! It's beautiful! I implore you all to watch it when you get the chance, teaches you lessons about life while all being like a very nostalgic 00's anime and it's mostly what inspired this fic.<br/>-DON'T STOP HERE! A SEQUEL is officially in the works! We're still in the planning stage, so it's coming very soon. When? That'll be a surprise. Right now, I'm busy working on my HxH Big Bang fic, which will probably be out in early-mid May-ish. When my semester is over, I promise I'll deliver a second installment to the Room 102 series! I've never done a multichapter sequel before so I'm excited! The Pickled Pepper squad and their shenanigans will be returning as eighth graders sometime this summer (think of mid 90's, booksmart, eighth grade, good boys, ned's declassified, diary of a wimpy kid... u get the point lmao) Get hype!! There's still SO MUCH behind the scenes I wanna cover and develop on and while it'd be nice to wrap up everything here... I can also just do a sequel, them kids got growin' to do. Shit's gonna go down.<br/>-THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY!!! Love you all! </p><p>Until next time. I hope you all are doing well and taking care of yourselves!!! </p><p>Socials ❤️</p><p><b><a href="http://twitter.com/danganphobia">Twitter</a></b>/<b><a href="http://danganphobias.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></b> | <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LsSJKsUkq8FJg8StOs4xK?si=08I650vTRu6uAy1-uEfTLA">Spotify Playlist</a></b> | <b><a href="https://curiouscat.me/danganphobia">Curious Cat</a></b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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